Renegades Part 3
by SomethingCalledShips
Summary: A multi ship series where eight YouTubers find themselves thrust into a gladiatorial competition of kill-or-be-killed confined to the state of California. Together, these eight YouTubers must face blood shed, tears, love, and war as they battle for their survival in the "program," The Renegade Program. Ships: H2OVanoss, Minicat, Terrornuckel, DaithiDeLui
1. Chapter 22 - What We Have Done

If Craig hadn't been fast tracked straight to the meet up site, he would be dead.

He wasn't, but when he arrived, he was pale and delirious from loss of blood.

But now, David was digging into his leg with pliers while Brian and Tyler held him down. Craig had a long stick stuck between his teeth to stop him from biting his tongue, his arms were held down by the heavy bodies of his two friends, and his legs were held by Brian.

The site was set up with five tents, and a sleeping bag in each car. The cars were parked with only a few steps between them, rear ends facing each other with their hoods creating an arch above David's makeshift hospital. Maybe twenty feet away were the five tents surrounding a campfire Jonathan had started. Evan and Alexa had left after arrival to get food and supplies, leaving Jonathan and Lui sitting around the campfire taking stock of the loot.

Craig screamed again, making the two at the fire glance up sympathetically. David winced, looking down at the screwed up face of his friend, tears pouring down the sides of his face despite his tightly shut eyes. He was red from screaming, and his breath was short, but Brian and Tyler's presences were keeping him at a manageable point for operation. Craig had already drunk half the vodka bottle David used as sterilizer, but that didn't change how much pain he was experiencing. Tyler and Brian had had to look away because they couldn't stand to see their friend's tears. Poor Tyler; he'd been hysterical when the six arrived, unable to move when Brian dropped his bike and Alexa and he pulled Craig gingerly off and raced him to David. He, Lui, and Brock had been waiting for almost two hours when the others arrived at dusk, and now minutes after their arrival, David was performing this emergency surgery on Craig.

It wasn't too bad of injury, lucky for Craig. When they first arrived, Tyler thought he'd hit an artery there was so much blood, thankfully it wasn't anything that bad. A bullet — probably from a Beretta like Alexa's — had lodged inside Craig's left inner thigh, missing the deep femoral artery, but there had been no exit point for the bullet since he was on a motorbike. So David had pulled Craig's pants off gingerly — they had only brought so many spare clothes — then picked up a long metallic pair of tweezers. Craig had cussed him out when he saw the metallic claws hovering over his leg, but they'd quickly given away to screams. Not that it was an improvement.

David probed with the tweezers, flying blind and not sure what he was looking for. Craig screamed in protest again, and David winced as his loud agonized shouts left his ears ringing. Tyler and Brian weren't in any better shapes. Craig's fingernails were digging into Tyler's skin, either fighting back or looking for a release from the pain, David wasn't sure. Brian was having trouble holding on to Craig's squirming legs.

"Is it almost out?" Brian asked, breathless and struggling to keep his voice even for Craig and Tyler's sanity.

"I think I've got it…" David muttred, and felt his tweezers clamp down on something metal. It was deep in, but David knew it was the damn bullet. "That's it," he confirmed.

"Well, get it out of him David," Tyler pleaded. David glanced at Tyler and then down at his hand, where Craig's nails had drawn small drops of blood.

"Don't let go of his hands once we are done here," gesturing to Tyler's now bleeding hand. Tyler glanced down, taking in his gently bleeding hands, and nodded. He didn't seem to notice or care about any kind of pain. That made David frown.

David began to pull gently on the bullet, pulling upwards. Craig's muscles rippled with spasms as he fought the urge to move, his eyes were wide and he lifted his head slowly to watch as David's tweezers slowly retracted, and the hard metal bullet came out of his leg with a gentle popping sound. Craig laid his head back into Tyler's lap with a bump and sighed, making the other three smile.

"Brian, get the bandages ready, okay? I still need to sterilize the wound."

Brian jumped down to gather up bandages from their scrap box and Tyler released his grip on Craig's wrists. Craig's eyes were vacant, starring at almost nothing, but Tyler's eyes who were cast almost lovingly down on the younger man never left his face. Brian threw him a few rags which Tyler grabbed thankfully, wrapping his bleeding wrists and palms.

"You did good," Tyler assured gruffly. He wasn't entirely sure what to say to the vacant man resting in his lap.

David smirked, and turned back towards the Outback were Brock was lying on his back, breathing evenly with his eyes closed. His shirt was hung on the open trunk door, and his bandaged upper arm showed no new signs of bleeding. Brock stirred gently, hoarsely whispering Brian's name before drifting back off. David chuckled, turning back to Craig's operation "table," the back of Lui's white van, and saw Brian watching Brock as well, smiling.

"I only need you for a few more minutes, then you can attend lover boy over there," David teased, and Brian rolled his eyes. "Just don't fuck tonight, okay?"

"Fuck off David," Brian giggled, rolling his eyes.

Craig was watching David, his eyes suddenly extremely present. As David unscrewed the vodka bottle, he watched Craig bite his lip anxiously. He knew this was going to hurt, not as badly as having tweezers stuck in your leg, but Craig had a look on his face more similar to a deer in head lights. Tyler saw the look too, and took gentle hold of Craig's wrists again. David nodded a thanks and bowed his head to the bullet wound, beginning to tip the bottle.

"WAIT, STOP!" Craig cried out, and David looked up at him again. Beads of sweat were trickling down his face, and his hair and shirt were wet with it. His bloodshot eyes blinked hard, and his eyebrows were so high up on his forehead his eyes bugged.

"I—I think that's—I'm good," he stammered, trying to take his hands out of Tyler's grasp. It was futile, but Craig was scared and in pain and only wanted out.

"I need to sterilize the wound, Craig."

"Nah—no—you don't—you don't have to—to do that."

"Craig," David said slowly, warning him no to fight back. He placed a hand firmly on his left leg below the bullet whole. The gauze Brian had placed there was already soaking with blood.

"I'm not asking for permission," David's words left his lips the same time the strong alcohol hit Craig's wound.

The scream was glass shattering. It was all Tyler could do to hold him down, Brian tried to keep his legs from kicking David, who grabbed a nearby water bottle—probably Brian's—and poured it generously over Craig's leg. He padded with spare rags until the area around the wound was dry, and repeated the process. After the third wash, he placed several gauze sheets on his wound and wrapped his leg up. Somewhere during this process, Craig had fallen unconscious, and Tyler's panicked expression made David lean over his unconscious friend and lift up his eye lids, examining the pupil response.

"He passed out. Probably the pain," David concluded, pushing his index and middle fingers into Craig's neck, feeling his rapid pulse slowing down to a more regular speed.

David sighed and stretched slightly, placing his hands on his hips and leaning backwards. He'd been bent over too much, and his back was killing him as a result. "Might wanna keep an eye on him though, just to be safe. But judging on how he was when he arrived, I think he'll be okay."

"Thanks David," Tyler's smile was tired, and his red eyes were smeary across his face.

"You should get some rest too Tyler," David advised. "You're in shock."

"I'm fine," Tyler responded softly, looking back down at the unconscious Craig whose head was still in his lap. David rolled his eyes with a sigh and threw Tyler a blanket. He caught it, gratefully, and wrapped it around himself. Shock blankets did work.

"I know Craig and Brock are in bad shape," David began, his voice low so only Tyler would hear. Tyler didn't look up at him as he spoke however, he was tracing the outline of Craig's face. "But you need to take care of yourself too. Your health shouldn't suffer for that."

David moved away from them now, turning back to the Outback with Brock lying inside and Brian crouched over him, checking his bandaged arm.

"How's he looking?"

"Nothing to worry about yet…he's got some nice burn marks, but the bleeding has stopped. How much shrapnel did Brocky have stuck in his arm?"

"Six pieces. Impressive sizes too," David smiled roughly. "I'm surprised he could still use his arm to shoot."

"Hear that Brocky?" Brian smiled, kissing Brock's nose and making him open one eye groggily. "You survived six pieces of shrapnel and burns!"

"And I feel like a million bucks." Brock's sarcasm was biting, but Brian just laughed and bent down to kiss his forehead, melting away the frown that had built up.

"…It did hurt a lot, though," Brock admitted, glancing away from Brian and David with a blush. As if admitting to a little pain was weak.

"Alexa can put you through physical therapy for that," David responded, as he poured water over his hands from the same water bottle. He handed it to Brian to do the same. While Brian cleaned the drying blood off, he glanced back into the white van.

"So, Tyler and Craig, huh?"

"It's looking like it," David responded, uninterested as he washed off the scalpel too. Then, he recognized the hint in Brian's voice, and looked up at him, eyes wide.

Brian caught his look. "What?" He asked, defensively.

"You're not—"

"No! I mean—we're friends."

"That's what we all are," David replied, starring long and hard. "Just. Friends."

"I mean it," his voice had a finality to it, and David decided to drop it. Brian glanced past David towards the tent then, and smiled. "Guess who's back?"

David didn't need to know; he heard Alexa and Evan's bike pull up by the campfire and the laughing and joking had already begun. Brian wasn't making any moves to join the others for food yet, so David did, telling Brian he'd grab him and Tyler some food.

Jonathan and Lui had taken over one tent as their money tent where stacks of dollar bills tied up in pieces of string, and gold bars stacked into small piles were hidden and protected from the elements. The other tents were up for grabs, although Jonathan and Lui had already claimed the two on either side of the money tent.

"What's the total so far?" Evan asked, collapsing onto the dirt he was so tired.

"We have roughly 1.2 million so far," Lui responded, yawning.

Evan smiled from his spot, and closed his eyes, resting his face in his hands and groaning, then stretched. "How are we going to transport all this crap?"

"Cars," Alexa responded, sitting down between Evan and Jonathan, throwing them pre-made sandwiches they had bought.

"What about the wounded ones though?"

"They'll be fine by tomorrow hopefully. Craig may take more time to heal up totally, but with Tyler hovering over him like that, he should be good," Alexa pointed out, glancing at David for confirmation.

David nodded and unwrapped the sandwich, taking a bite. Ham, lettuce, tomato, and mozzarella. He reached a hand for the rest of the sandwiches, which Alexa gave him. David left his own and jogged back to the cars, giving the bag to Brian who was sitting on the edge of the Outback's trunk, Tyler sitting opposite him. When David came up to them, they both turned and smiled gratefully.

"Thanks," Brian murmured, turning to hand a sandwich to the now conscious Brock.

"Just so you two know," David started, "you're not sleeping here. If you're not hurt, then you don't sleep here."

"Yes mom," Brian rolled his eyes playfully, and Tyler and Brock let out low chuckles.

"So…" Brock's eyes flashed with excitement. "Did you know that our resident dramatic love birds almost fucked this morning?"

David's stomach dropped. He knew all too well.

"No…?"

"Before you guys arrived, we were sure we were all going to die, so we all kinda said something we regretted not doing before," Brock's eyes were glowing with excitement, and so were Brian and Tyler's too. It was only David who knew what was coming next.

"And Evan confessed he and Jonathan got it on in the bathroom, hardcore."

"Holy shit—" Tyler laughed.

"About FUCKING time!" Brian laughed.

David felt color rising to his cheeks.

"They didn't though," David pointed out.

"I know they didn't, but that isn't the point. The point is the drama queens are dramatic as fuck, and you owe me twenty bucks," Brock directed that last part of the question to Brian, who rolled his eyes, leaning over to him and whispering sweetly "I'll give you something that's worth more than twenty bucks," and kissed him innocently. Tyler gagged.

"Get a room,"

"Give it a rest, Ty," Brock retorted. "When you arrived, you completely ignored my hurt arm and went straight for Craig!" Brock cried indignantly.

Tyler rolled his eyes with a sneer, but his blush was hard to hide. David stole a glance at Brian, who watched Tyler passively. David couldn't help but wonder if Brian was really interested in Craig, or if it was just a man crush. In this friend group, it was impossible to tell anymore.

"So is this you telling us visiting hours is over?" Tyler asked, changing the subject. All three pairs of eyes were directed towards David, who drew his lips into a line of apology and nodded an affirmative. Tyler and Brian sighed, sliding off the Outback's trunk edge — Brian leaning back one last time to kiss Brock goodnight — while David left a sandwich and a bottle of water besides the still sleeping Craig.

As the three trudged towards the fire, David heard Brian mumble skeptically "Jonathan never mentioned a thing about him and Evan almost fucking, you think it's true?"

"It is," David affirmed. "I walked in on it."

Tyler caught his arm and spun him around to face the two of them, absolutely stunned.

"For real?" They asked. David nodded, sending gasps and glances at each other and past David towards the campfire where Evan and Jonathan sat on either side of Alexa, avoiding all eye contact awkwardly.

"I'm not surprised…?" Tyler said slowly. "I mean, they are always the ones with the most drama, and even last time with Nikki and —" he cut himself off, shaking his head gently and shutting up. He took a breath and then added "it's just typical, you know?"

"It is," David agreed. "We can't go one heist without something happening. Before this, Lui, Craig, Alexa, and myself raided a rival Renegade house near our own base. The leader was Alexa's ex-boyfriend."

Tyler and Brian gasped.

"It's like this program is trying to fuck with us!" Brian hissed.

David sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets and glancing back at the fire pit. Lui sat with his back to David, on his right was Jonathan, then Alexa, then Evan, the four of them laughing over something. It looked like a family, a happy group of friends who'd known each other for years and were just enjoying a night in the wilderness all together.

Except, it wasn't. Jonathan and Evan avoided each other's looks but glanced at one another sneakily, Lui's PM 63 Rak strapped to his back glinted in the light, and Alexa was cleaning her new RPG launcher. In the cars were two of his best friends who had just had bullets and shrapnel pulled out of their skin, one with some fairly nice burns too. In the tent behind Lui was over 1.2 million dollars in money from two banks they just robbed, and almost killed in. And all of them, every single one of them, were wearing the denim jackets with the white bar code painted on the back. This wasn't any regular group of friends, and that made David sad. He'd always wanted to go camping with his YouTube friends, and now they were doing it; but they had just robbed two banks, almost lost Craig, and had stuffed 1.2 million dollars into a shitty little camping tent.

"It's not the program doing this to us," David finally muttered, nodding at Lui who turned to look at him and motion for them to join the others. David turned back to Tyler and Brian who were looking at him questioningly.

"It's what we have done to ourselves."

David turned to the fire pit and took up a spot between Lui and Jonathan, sharing a small sad smile with Alexa across Evan before taking a large bite into his sandwich.


	2. Chapter 23 - Do It For Me

Evan was beyond bored. He had ascended to a new level of boredom.

Why? Because there was nothing to do except fight, burn shit, throw rocks, or talk. It had been two days since the bank heist, the Suzukis were almost out of fuel, the guns practically empty, and the air was getting cooler with every passing day. Evan could feel it on his skin as he jogged down the dirt road, veering off to the left suddenly and jumping over a fence that read "off limits."

Craig and Brock were fine, both going through a form of physical therapy instructed by Alexa and monitored by David. The others, Tyler, Brian, Lui, and Jonathan were either sparing for practice, making up some kind of weird boredom-induced game involving rocks or something, working out, or sleeping.

Evan jerked away from a bush he ran past when it rustled and a bird flew out of it. He cursed it low under his breath before continuing.

Jonathan…three mornings since they kissed each other, yet Evan could still feel and taste him. He was like a ghost, a ghost in physical form who couldn't look him in the eye and couldn't talk to him. It was torture, and Evan hated himself for doing it, but what could he say without looking like a jerk who just wanted to get some? He couldn't say he enjoyed it, he couldn't say he didn't, he couldn't flirt with him, and he especially couldn't keep ignoring him. Basically, he was fucked.

Evan's phone buzzed in his loose black shorts, and he slowed down to a stop to pull it out. He answered breathily, his bare chest rising up and down as he caught his breath. A familiar voice echoed over the phone, and Evan couldn't help but smile.

"So my question is how you STILL have nineteen million subscribers if you haven't posted a video in the last four days," Tom's laughing voice made Evan chuckled, and he ran a hand through his hair, damp with sweat.

"I guess it's just because I post better content than you?" He teased.

"It's because you're a boy-toy and we all know it," Tom dismissed with a giggle. "So, spill. What's going on? You haven't been online recently—none of you have—are you all still living together? Are you even in that big house anymore?"

Evan chuckled again. It was good to hear from Tom.

"No. We took a little bit of a road trip to go camping."

"Really? Where?"

"El Capitan," Evan's lie was seamless.

"Oh really? Wow that sounds like fun…" his voice trailed off, thinking.

"Hey, maybe when you get back, we could all get together at your house and play games or have dinner?"

"Yeah sounds great!" Evan glanced behind him at the dirt road, just checking.

"What's the address?"

"Hey—Tom—I'm in the middle of something right now, mind if I give you details some other time?"

"Oh really? Okay that works too I guess," his friend grumbled and Evan smiled. Tom was never the kind of guy to be good a lying.

"Oh dude! Did you hear about that tank that made an appearance in Santa Monica the other day? Some shit straight out of GTA, imma right?" Evan laughed.

"Yeah that was so strange! Apparently it was part of a getaway plan for this group of burglars that attacked two banks in different areas, pretty crazy stuff."

"What you heard about it?" Evan pried.

"Just that this isn't the first heist this group has done and there are a lot of people who want information on them," Tom wasn't so smooth at lying.

"Really? How much now?"

"Over three million." The silence was all Evan needed.

He sighed. "Tom you're not getting the mon—"

"This is a warning, Evan," Tom's voice suddenly urgent. "You guys need to calm down. Whoever you pissed off, they want you all dead. They're contacting everyone you guys know and threatening them, trying to get info. There going to do something big, Ev."

"We are in hiding right now, there is nothing we can do—"

"Yes there is."

Evan fell silent.

"I've been in regular contact with these people. They have a base, okay? Pretty close to where you guys are in 'El Capitan' actually. A bunker of sorts, a storage facility for information on ALL the Renegades and ALL their positions. Break into the bunker, wipe their hard drives, and then maybe you guys will be safe."

"Tom why are you doing this?" Evan asked. His heart was racing as he processed what Tom had just told him. Yeah, they were friends, but there was something else going on here that he wasn't telling them, something more.

"Can't you just accept I'm doing this for you as a friend?" Tom's voice rose with slight panic. Silence filled the line and Tom let out a sigh. "You're not the only one who has beef with the fucking program. Maybe one day I'll explain, but for now, trust me. From one YouTuber to another, as one friend to a friend, you gotta trust me."

Evan thought for a second. "I'll run it past the others, see what they think."

"Trust me Evan," Tom repeated. "I'm not doing this for the money, I'm doing this for myself. Wipe their hard drives, and end Renegades for good," and the line went dead with a final click.

Evan was still, his phone still pressed against his ear running the conversation over in his head. After a few seconds he lowered his phone, and powered it off completely. No fucking way he was keeping his phone on after that, since there was a good chance Tom was bugged.

Evan started off again, picking up speed and breaking into a dead run, clearing the wooded, brambly pass and entering the flat camping site where Tyler and Brian as one team and Jonathan and Lui as another were kicking a soccer ball. David was at the fire, cooking, and Alexa was pilled into Craig's van, the latter of which was sitting up and laughing while keeping a careful eye on Tyler as he played. Brock was there too, sitting in the Craig's white van, and also watching the game with mild interest. Yet when Alexa saw Evan run into the clearing and bee line towards her, she got up with a concerned look growing on her face.

"What's going on, Ev?"

Evan reached her and took a moment to catch his breath before handing his phone over to her. The four playing soccer had stopped and were making their way over to Evan and Alexa, who was now looking between him and his phone in a confused manner.

"Dude your phone is switched off, what the fuck am I supposed to do with this?"

"I got a call…" Evan started. Alexa's eye's narrowed.

"It's not Sydney again, is it?"

"No it wasn't. It was Tom, Syndicate."

The soccer players and David had made their way to the cars now, and when they heard that news they all frowned.

"We haven't talked to Tom in such a long time…" Craig realized.

"I think last time we played was like…September?" Brock added, running a hand threw his hair in amazement.

"Well he gave me a tip off. Apparently, Renegades is paying big money to get information from our friends, and probably family too. Over 3 million now."

The group murmured, surprised and excited by the number, but also scared. Contacting family? It was a desperate move by the program. It also threatened Evan's deal with the program about the girls' safety. They were at war with Renegades; all bets were off.

"That's not the half of it either. Tom specifically asked us to do a heist. There is an information bunker near El Capitan where all the Renegade information is stored. We wipe the hard drive, we can save our friends, and have total control over the program."

"They already want us dead," Jonathan pointed out. His damp hair was messy, bed messy, and he must have been on the 'skins' team since he was also shirtless and in dark black jeans with no shoes. "If we attack an information bunker, we will be dead before sunrise the next day. I'm all for it, but I think it's risky."

"But if we wipe their hard drives," Lui countered. "Then they won't know where to find us. I can destroy their tracking system and they will take months to get it up and running again."

"Just in time for New Years," Brock laughed. He was right. They had missed Halloween and Thanksgiving, much to the displeasure of all of their relatives in favor of preparing for heists and training. They HAD to celebrate New years.

"So if this is successful," Tyler's joy audible even his voice. "We get New Years off from being Renegades and we just get to be friends?"

"I'm in," Brian grinned. "As much as I love kicking butt and taking names, I could kinda do with spending a few days off and just sleeping."

"You mean getting drunk?" Alexa retorted. A laugh erupted from the group as they agreed that, yes, spending a few days drunk and asleep in celebration of Christmas and New Years would be a good idea.

"I am with Jonathan on this, its risky no doubt about it. But maybe we can pull this heist off…" She didn't need to finish her sentence. They had just pulled off a successful double bank heist, escaped a tank, and lost no one. Call this cockiness, but Evan had a good feeling about this. Plus, with backing from outside sources such as Luke for weapons, and now Tom too, 'Soldiers' would be impossible to beat.

Lui was still running the new heist plan over in his head, a disturbed yet oddly excited mixture of emotions creating a murky lurching sensation in his stomach. He was lying down a little ways away from the tents, looking up at the stars, his hands clasped behind his head and his legs flat on the ground. It was probably close to two in the morning, and the cool air that brushed over his bare arms unprotected by the black tank top he was wearing gave him goosebumps. He shivered, still unmoving.

The tent he shared with David had been too hot for him. No, David was just too hot for him. The sleeping Irishman with dark hair and dark stubble creeping up his neck and over his chin, his closed eyes and parted lips, too innocent. He had knocked out cold after crawling into their shared tent, pulling off his shirt and jeans and collapsing on top of his sleeping bag with a grunt. Lui had sat very still for a long time, watching the man breath evenly and calmly for several long minutes before daring to move, and only to lie down on his side of the tent, unable to take his eyes off him.

Eventually, after spending almost all night just starring at him, he'd gotten up and left.

Lui closed his eyes, listening to crickets chirping and sighed. It was peaceful outside; it wouldn't be like this tomorrow night, however. The heist had been planned, the money packed into the Outback where Craig and Brock would transport it all back to the main base. At night, they would attack, and escape in the cover of darkness, with any luck. Tom was sending Evan plans of the building in the afternoon, and was then heading to out of town for several weeks: an extra precaution Evan had insisted on. That chance of his enlistment or worst was too great of a risk, and it was a risk none of them were going to let him take. So Tom had his plane tickets set for nine o'clock tomorrow night, Lui and the other six would leave for El Capitan around eight in the morning, while Craig and Brock would go to the main house, drop off all the money, and then join the others for night fall. Heist would begin at ten that night.

The crunching sounds of feet in dirt and grass drew his attention away from the plan, and he raised his head, taking in the dark figure trudging towards him. Thin, gangly still, even though they had spent months training, and the man stumbling still half asleep towards him before collapsing in the dirty grass next to him had had years of training.

"Lui, it's cold."

"You're from North Carolina," Lui laughed, not looking at Jonathan who had mimicked his position: arms crossed behind his head, ankles crossed over one another. He was wearing a hoodie and sweatpants with converse to match. "You don't get to complain about the cold."

"I do, and it's fucking cold," Jonathan grumbled. "North Carolina is east coast dude. I have every right to complain about the cold."

Lui snickered again. He was silent a moment before asking what had been on his mind all week: "what's going on between you and Evan?"

Jonathan was silent, tense next to Lui as he thought of the best way to respond, if he chose to respond at all.

"You don't have to tell me," Lui added quickly. "It's just you guys have kind of—"

"Not looked or talked to each other at all these last few days?"

Lui swallowed a response, and Jonathan laugh his signature laugh.

"It's okay. I don't think we are fighting, we're just…I don't know," Jonathan fell silent again, but only for a moment. "What happened was after you and Alexa left the bathroom, Evan and I started to fight. But it quickly turned into something else, more sexual, and then he kissed me. It felt right. I couldn't say no, and I didn't really want to either." Jonathan chuckled as he remembered, and Lui felt him shift gently next to him, as if the memory of that morning still sent waves of desire through him. "But then David walked in, and I remembered how difficult it is to love him, how painful it is. How one minute you could swear he wanted nothing but you and the next he couldn't care less if you died that minute or not. It was like this even before Renegades, too. Every game we played together it was the same; the teasing, the games, the obvious flirting. And then suddenly he wouldn't take a notice of me at all. I couldn't get my head around it, and now we spend every day together, and my head is even more confused. I don't understand, and I still don't; that's why I pulled away and avoided him. That's why I'm confused, that's why we don't talk or look at each other. I want him so badly, but I'm not running into his arms like I have every other fucking time."

Lui listened to all of this quietly, not saying a word. He got it, how angry and hurt Jonathan was, especially after years of video games that convinced him Evan was the one for him. To have it thrown back in his face at the end of each day must have been hell.

"So, you're just going to ignore him then?"

"You ever tried ignoring Evan? Even if you hate him, you can't ignore him. He's too bright, too lively, too perfect. You can't pretend he doesn't exist. I'm not running back to him though, he's running to me this time. He knows full well how I feel about him, now its time for him to prove what he feels about me too. Or else…"

Instead of finishing his sentence, he stood, stretching. Lui propped himself up on his elbows, tilting his head slightly and looking up at his friend. Jonathan had paused, and turned to look back down at Lui, a frown knitted across his face. Their eyes searched each other's for a second, and Lui felt color rise to his cheeks as he slowly understood what it was Jonathan was searching for.

"No offense, dude," Lui said, holding up a hand for Jonathan to help pull him up, "but you are so not my type."

Jonathan could only laugh his signature laugh, a sincerely happy chuckle, before taking his smaller friend's hand and pulling him up and into a hug.

"Don't worry, you're not my type either," Jonathan's murmur vibrated in his chest, and Lui felt it's vibrations against his resting head. They were friends, that was for sure. He'd never been the guy to develop a crush on any of his friends; it was always pretty women he got to know later. There had only ever been one exception to this, ever.

"You're type is tall and British, right?" Jonathan's snicker ran deep in his chest, and he dodged as Lui swung a punch towards his stomach in the hopes of shutting him up. His cheeks were growing red again, and Jonathan's sparkling eyes and stupid fucking grin was just plain annoying.

"I'm going to bust your precious fucking unrevealed-face wide open if you say that again," Lui's threat was filled with laughter, as the two men made their way back to the tents. Jonathan was right, it was too cold to be outside; and besides, why sit outside when David was being adorable inside their shared tent?


	3. Chapter 24 - Never Have I Ever

El Capitan had always been one of Alexa's favorite spots. Even as a child when she had come here camping, it had been fun. And still now, sitting on the beach about three miles down from the information center with Evan and Brian, the three of them drinking sodas they'd picked up from a gas station on the way over, it was fun.

Lui, Jonathan, and David had all gone up the road three miles to the information center, David in the getaway Outback, newly stolen and license plate removed, while Jonathan and Lui camped and spied. The three on the beach had their earpieces in, getting constant updates while Evan downloaded the blueprint instructions from Tom and Brian kept an eye on the road.

Alexa? Well she was sunbathing. Granted, she hadn't brought a swimsuit, so instead had pulled off all her clothes except for her underwear before laying down, stomach pressed against the hot sand, and unclipped her bra. To shut the two boys up, she also placed her Beretta dual pistols in the sand in front. Even though they were all good friends, she didn't trust them not to make smart-ass comments.

"Guard count?" Evan was asking. Alexa had closed her eyes and the incessant chattering on the intercoms was keeping her from sleeping in the heat of the fall sun. She waved a hand sleepily at Evan trying to get him to shut up, but he smacked it away playfully. Alexa turned her head to glare at the two boys sitting on the sand next to her.

"Something close to forty at least," Lui was saying. "They keep coming and going though, and they're all really spaced out. Chainlink fences surrounding the place, minimal watch towers, if you can even call them that."

"Guess they aren't expecting to be robbed then, huh?" Brian snickered.

"This will come as a surprise then, won't it?" Evan giggled, taking a long sip of Dr. Pepper. "You don't happen to have visuals on David or Jonathan, do you?"

"Not currently, but I wouldn't worry though," Lui responded, a slight sigh in his voice as he shifted nervously. "First of all, its Jonathan and David we're talking about. Second, we have a very high success rate when it comes to these heists." Cocky, but they were all feeling it.

"I'll make sure to tell that to Craig then," Evan retorted. Brian glanced at Evan before catching Alexa's eye and looking away. Craig was okay, yes, but barely. If it hadn't been for David's knowledge and care, Craig would be dead. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that, and she and Brian were all too aware of how close they came to loosing their friend. It wasn't exactly a hot-button topic, but it was definitely something none of them could forget.

A soft ding from Evan's laptop broke the awkward silence, and Evan's head snapped back down to his keyboard as he opened up the recently downloaded files.

"Jackpot."

Brian leaned over his shoulder to stare at Evan's screen. Both of their faces light up, making Alexa laugh gently into her intercom.

"Lui if you could see these boys' faces right now…"

"Plans arrive?"

"Yep," Alexa giggled.

"And its perfect," Evan breathed. He turned the computer for Alexa to see, who stretched her neck to see what was making Evan and Brian's eyes sparkle with excitement.

It was about thirteen pages of PDF files, each page crammed with detailed plans of the building. There was a key on the first page explaining what each marking was: the path of guards, where cameras were located. It wasn't just impressive, it was a fucking gift.

"I'm guessing your face looks pretty similar to theres, right 'Lexa?" Lui giggled.

"Damn straight," she replied, smiling excitedly at the two boys grinning back at her.

"Call Jonathan and David back Lui, we're done here. Get the car to the pickup spot and then head into camp. Stay inconspicuous, okay? Rather not have to bail you guys out of a sticky situation—"

"Which it will be if you have to show up," Lui finished. She could practically hear the eye roll in his voice.

"That sounds a little to familiar," Lui teased, before the gentle crackle of the system shutting down sounded in Alexa's ear.

Evan and Brian were standing, both packing up.

"So are you gonna put clothes back on?" Brian asked, smirking at Alexa. "Because, I'm not gonna complain if you don't want to." Evan snorted.

Alexa lowered her eyebrows and jutted out her bottom jaw, looking between the two, Brian watching her with a stupid grin and Evan busy packing up his laptop trying hard not to laugh.

"Aren't you supposed to swing the other way?" Alexa rolled her eyes, reattaching the clasps of her bra before sitting up right and pulling her shirt on.

Brian laughed. "Very true. So if you were a man—"

Alexa didn't let him finish that sentence, instead landing a punch on his arm. He shoved her in response, making her bounce into Evan, all three of them laughing. They headed up towards the road marking the barrier between lushes green campsite and sandy beach. It was starting to get dark, and the rays on sunshine were already struggling to get over the horizon. Late November already; almost a full year now since Alexa arrived at the hotel planning to save a group of boys who would soon be her closest friends.

"Any news from Brock or Craig?" Evan asked, breaking the silence after their small fight.

"Yeah. They should be here really soon," Brian smiled.

"Good. I'm starving and I'm so not waiting for anyone to get their asses here," Evan laughed, clutching his stomach in mock hunger.

Alexa glanced behind them at the beach. She didn't know why she felt so uneasy about the heist, but there was something off about the whole thing. Tom was being extremely helpful, the information center was seriously unprotected, and they'd just gotten off a little too lucky. Alexa sighed, and turned her attention back to the two clowns walking up to camp.

Dinner was In N' Out burgers, sodas, and roasted marshmallows behind the two cabins the group of them were "sharing," not that Alexa was complaining. The night was ideal. Crickets echoed through the darkness around them, while only a few lights from other cabin dwellers could be seen through the dark. The crew of nine had found plastic lawn chairs at the on-site convenience store and bought a bunch of them to avoid sitting on the cool grass. The chatter and laughter had given way to a game of 'never have I ever / truth of dare'. Rules were simple, but then Evan kept changing them; now, it was whenever you had done something, you take a drink from your bottle. If you took a drink, you get the option of explain or keep it a secret and do a dare. The incentive to spill a secret? Tyler had voted for Russian Roulette, but then it changed to fight Alexa, and everyone agreed that was far scarier.

"Okay, okay, okay," Craig smirked, casting a smirk around the group. Pink cheeked and shivering slightly from the cool breeze, they all watched him eagerly. It was a fun game, and already she was down three-fourths of her can. Jonathan was onto his second.

"Never have I ever…received a lap dance," Craig laughed.

"Fuck you Craig!" Brian screeched, throwing an empty paper bag at him before taking a swig from his can amid a roar of laughter. Everyone knew the story: Brian had posted the Playboy Bunny visit video on his YouTube.

Everyone was too busy laughing they almost missed Brock taking a quick sip of his can too. Alexa, however, didn't miss it.

"Whoa Brock," she called him out, leaning forward in her seat and catching everyone else's attention. Brock began to blush when he met her eyes, glancing at Brian who was next to him for help. Brian was red.

"Care to explain why you took a drink there, buddy?" Her grin spreading wider as she coked an eyebrow.

"Did you take a drink?" Evan asked, holding back his laugh as best as he could.

Brock glanced again at Brian who had lowered his head, face bright red. Alexa could guess what this was, but wanted to her it from Brock himself.

"You want a dare instead?" She offered, placing her Coca Cola down and cracking her knuckles, threateningly.

"Okay fine!" Brock sighed, glaring at Alexa before smiling.

"Brian's fault."

Brian punched him and blushed impossibly harder as the rest of the group burst into laughter again. Brock pulled on Brian's arm, making him fall against him and his lips for a quick kiss. Brian was trying hard to be mad, but even he couldn't hold back his laugh, and kissed him gently back.

"Was he good?" Tyler joked.

"Since he's here, I have to say yes," Brock answered, earning another punch from Brian.

It was another minute before they could stop laughing, and since they were going in a circle, it was Alexa's turn.

"Never have I ever…" Alexa started, leaning back in her chair and looking into the fire for inspiration. What could she say, really? She knew these guys so well now, maybe a little too well. She was almost so friend zoned by all of them that she could walk around naked and they wouldn't take a second glance at her.

"Committed arsine?" Jonathan offered. Even Alexa had to laugh at that.

"Never have I ever wanted to shoot this motherfucker right here," Alexa laughed, making a fake gun with her hands and firing it at Jonathan. His signature laugh caught in his throat as he fell to the grassy floor, twitching and clutching his chest in mock death.

"I can drink to that!" Tyler laughed, along with everyone else. The group all took a drink to that while Jonathan protest amidst giggles.

"My turn then," he stated, taking a deep breath to calm himself from his laughing fit.

"Never have I ever been to jail."

"You mean to say you haven't?" Lui asked, sitting on Jonathan's right. That got a laugh.

"I actually haven't because I'm a good upstanding person," Jonathan said sarcasticly, grinning at Lui who looked at him skeptically.

Surprisingly, David, Craig, and Brian all took drinks, then began to laugh hard when they caught each other's eyes.

"Okay," David spluttered. "Basically, what happened was that the three of us walked out of a store in a shopping mall completely forgetting to fucking pay for our shit," he gave way to laughter.

Brian took over. "So the mall cops came after us and took us into the fucking detention room or whatever it is and started questioning us about what if we were a gang or something!"

"It was mortifying," Craig concluded. "I've never been able to go back in that mall," he confessed, coaxing a laugh from David and Brian.

"Okay, so not like actual jail then?" Tyler asked. The three of them nodded, but pointed out it was similar enough.

"I'll give it to them," Jonathan smiled, leaning back in his chair.

Lui passed using the excuse of having to run to the bathroom, meaning it was now David's turn. As he left, Alexa motioned for him to grab the duffel bags before he came back out; Lui nodded, and disappeared inside one of the cabins.

"Never have I ever…" David started, but then frowned. He couldn't think of anything. "Kissed someone of the same gender?"

Silence.

"Okay moving on," Evan concluded, making everyone roar with laughter again.

"Goddamn it you stupid Irish prick could you of picked a more useless never have I ever?" Tyler teased, wheezing with laughter.

"I couldn't think of anything!" David protested.

"Alexa needs to beat you up just for that one!" Brian laughed, gasping for air as Brock leaned against his shoulder for support.

"You fucking cocks I'm going inside if you're all gonna be this rude," David mumbled, as he along with everyone else in the group took a long drink. Alexa eyed him over her red can wondering if or even when he'd gotten the nerve to kiss someone, but decided not to ask.

Brian's turn.

"Never have I ever…stayed home from school because of bullying."

Ouch. Alexa felt her skin crawl as the words sank in. Trust it for Brian to come up with the soul search-y questions. Nonetheless, she watched as Craig, David, and Jonathan all took drinks. Then Alexa noticed who else was drinking.

Evan.

When he finished, he leaned forward holding the can tight as if it would break in his hands, not looking up. He knew they wanted details.

"Middle school is never fun, and my experience was no exception. I was the awkward nerd who played video games instead of attending school dances, couldn't look at a girl let talk to one, and I still had my baby fat. PE in particular wasn't fun. I'd hide in the locker rooms faking illness so I didn't have to go outside sometimes. The guys caught on pretty quick, and not even the principal or teachers could stop them. It was the kind of you would see in movies: slapping books out my hands, pushing me in the hallways, spit balls, the works. I was the looser kid even the other losers picked on. "

Evan sighed, swirling the liquid in the can in his hand, faking a casualness. As if it didn't bother him to pick at an open wound.

"When I started high school, I moved schools and decided to change. Hard work outs, hockey team, girlfriends, binge drinking. I was popular…until I left high school with no idea of who or what I wanted to be…" He drifted off, lost in the swirl of bubbly soda in the can. He shuddered, and set the can down at the side of his chair hesitantly, as if it would explode if it shook too much.

The silence was deafening. Even the crickets seemed to stop chirping. Alexa suddenly became aware of how Jonathan was watching Evan; it was an interest she hadn't seen in him for a long time, and it was also a slight fear. She didn't blame him. Evan had just spilled some really personal, deep shit. And it turned out to be a lot deeper than he was ready to share, because next thing he did was stand up and stretch.

"Well…on that note, let's head out."

Alexa stood too, leaning over the back of her chair for her denim jacket and black Jan Sport bag. She strapped her dual Beretta holsters to her thighs and tied her lengthening hair into its usual high pony tale.

Lui was coming back with the two duffel bags filled with PM 63 Raks, Kel-Tec KSG Patrol rifles, and ammo. Brian's mini gun from the last heist had been modified for him to carry, and was already in the white van ready and waiting.

Evan gave everyone a slight nod once they were all standing, ready with their jackets and black ski masks sitting like any normal black beanie would.

"This isn't going to be easy, you guys know that," Evan's eyes cast around the circle. "If you wanna turn back now, I won't be mad. I get it, it's really fucking dangerous and we are doing this based on someone else's information. We're risking a lot, and if you don't want to take the risk, then I understand."

Nothing but hardened faces of best friends met his and each other's questioning gaze. They were ready, ready to fight again.

Evan smiled satisfied. "Alright then. Craig and Lui take the Outback, the rest of us in the van. Brian ready with the bombs, heavies with Jonathan, Alexa with me. Let's go before so we have enough darkness to run."


	4. Chapter 25 - Obvious

Jonathan swallowed, hard. It was hard to send Alexa and Evan off in the middle of the night on a road he had never traveled before, but it was even harder waiting. Even the jewelry store heist had been easier, mostly because Jonathan could keep track of both of them. Now however, Jonathan was straddled on the Suzuki, Tyler, Brian, and Brock also straddling their own. David sat in the front seat of the white van. In the Outback was Craig and Lui, cross referencing their positions with the PDF blueprints and tracking the data base computer system respectively.

From their location, the Outback was up the dirt road above the beach but bellow the camping ground about two miles. The information bunker was a quarter of a mile away from the white van, and Evan and Alexa were halfway there already. The bunker itself was not a very large building; it was a fairly square layout with watchtowers in each corner, two story tall wire fences, and a concrete one story base. A helipad with the helicopter was on the furthest side from the gate, where a cliff of rock jutted out over the ocean slightly. The base looked small, but the plans Tom had sent them were anything but small. The base went six stories underground, and a self destruct system that, if tripped, would give everyone within a two mile radius exactly three minutes before an atomic bomb blew that two mile radius up.

"Fuck that is a really creepy ass bush!" Alexa hissed into the intercom.

Evan was laughing. They were both jumpy, fully aware of what they were walking—jogging—in to.

"It's not funny Ev, it's dark as fuck outside."

"Look at big girl Alexa, scared of a little bush."

"Evan I swear to God if you keep making fun of me you're gonna be the one passed out getting carried into the fucking camp."

"At least it would be more believable based on who you two are," Tyler snickered.

"Are you calling me weak?" Evan questioned. Jonathan could see Brian and Brock shacking with laughter next to him as Tyler wound up for one of his great insults.

"Listen up you little Canadian slice of dick cheese…" Tyler began.

"You're coming up on their radar soon, so get in character fast," Lui reminded the two, cutting the insult short.

"Lui you absolute tool," David sighed.

"Hey Jonathan, is my baby all packed?" Alexa asked. She and Evan had stopped running, and both were breathing heavy.

Jonathan smirked. She meant the RPG rocket launcher strapped to the side of his Suzuki, just for her. "Yep. It's ready and waiting."

"Good. I'm using it if we need an exciting getaway," Alexa promised.

"Okay, get over here," Evan's voice came soft and smooth through Jonathan's ear piece. It sent shivers up Jonathan's spine.

Evan and Alexa were silent for a moment as Evan picked her up.

"Okay…play dead," Evan snickered, and a soft thud came over the intercom.

"Do I look like a fucking puppy to you?"

"A puppy pit-bull, maybe."

"Stop fighting kids," Lui sighed.

"Yes mom," they replied in unison. Alexa's mike went dead as she switched it off and Evan started off again towards the bunker again.

"Evan," Jonathan started. Brock glanced at him, raising an eyebrow.

"What's up?" Evan asked, breathily. He heard Alexa's voice in the background as she asked who was talking.

"…t-take care of her, for me?" Jonathan stuttered.

"Of course," Evan smile audible in Jonathan's earpiece.

"And…take care of yourself too…for me?" Jonathan lowered his head, resting it on the handle bars of the bike. He wouldn't be able to handle Evan getting hurt, even the thought was painful.

Evan was silent, taken a back, but then he giggled. "I can't promise that, Jonathan."

Jonathan smiled, bowing his head to hide the color rising in his cheeks. He couldn't be getting giggly and emotional now. Distant shouting echoed through Evan's mike and Jonathan felt his heart beat accelerate against his will. He was scared, no, terrified. His best friend and crush were going head first into a Renegades information bunker. If they weren't wearing blockers, they would be dead meat.

"Please! My girlfriend! She—she passed out—or something—I don't know!" Evan pleaded. His acting was much better than the jewelry heist. From his position, Jonathan could see the bunker's spotlight come on and aim at two people in front of the gate. The wire gate was opening, slowly, and three guards with weapons trained on both of them hurried out. Another man, dressed in suit with dark shades, also came running out.

"What happened?" an unfamiliar male voice asked, concern puncturing his sentences.

"We were going on a jog and we got lost—a-and it got dark and I don't know—she-she just passed out!" Evan's panic was flawless acting.

"Okay. We'll get you both some water."

Jonathan smiled. "Good job Ev," Jonathan commended, as he watched Evan bring Alexa in, the suited man guiding Evan through the gates.

"Now get out of the way," Jonathan murmured, pulling his helmet tight over his head. The other three were doing the same, and the white van in front of them was thrown into gear. The van took off, starting at 40 and picking up speed as it rocketed down the dirt road with the three bikes following at a distance.

The guards opened fire, but not soon enough to stop the van from crashing head-on into the wire fence and into the compound. Remains of the fence flew out on either sides, and Jonathan pulled his PM 63 Rak out and began firing. The other three on the bikes opened fire too, screeching to a violent halt within the fence walls of the compound while David aimed the white van straight towards the helipad. David dove out, Kimber 1911 pistols strapped in their holsters and Bolt Action SSG Tactical rifle in hands. The white van he had been driving, crashed straight into the helicopter, the explosion deafening. Jonathan starred as the David stood up, framed by the explosion and took aim at the first guard towers light, taking it out with perfect aim and a silent bang. He looked like an action movie star.

A bullet hit Jonathan's biker helmet, another hit his chest, but he didn't care. He advanced on the last guard at a run, the guard's bullets seemingly to miss Jonathan entirely. He brought his gun up under the man's chin and pulled the trigger, watching him slump to the ground. Jonathan took a breath, reloading his gun. Alexa and Evan had already taken their weapons—Berettas for Alexa and HK45C with matching PM 63 Rak for Evan—from Jonathan's Suzuki along with body armor.

"David, do cool guys not look at explosions?" Brock grinned, elbowing David as he joined the others. He took apart his SSG Tactical and strapped it to Brock and Brian's bike, but stopped to roll his eyes at Brock's joke.

"Cool guys NEVER look at explosions," David affirmed.

"Nicely done boys, kudos to David," Lui's voice now. "Tyler, on that door already?"

"Got it," Tyler hummed as he planted two sticks of C4 to the hinges of the metal sliding door, joining Brock and Jonathan as they flanked Brian. Brian had grabbed Alexa's RPG for a nice big entrance.

"This should be an easy run, boys," Craig reminded them. "I'll be guiding you through the whole place, so it should be fast."

"I've never been found of fast and easy," Brian winked, and Tyler pressed the trigger.

The door caved inwards with a tidy explosion, and before the smoke cleared Jonathan and the other heavies were through the door and into the entrance hall, firing at security cameras, guards, everything. Next, Evan and Alexa dove behind them; they would attack the information center itself, wiping the hard drives while Jonathan and the others kicked up a fuse.

The short lived gunfight soon ended with an RPG explosion—"holy fucking shit!" "I know right?"—and Jonathan broke off from the other three to escort Evan and Alexa to the stairwell Craig directed them too. It was off to the side, more of a maintenance stairwell than anything else, locked by a simple padlock Alexa got to work on.

"Do you have backups?" Jonathan asked, glancing over his shoulder as more gunfire echoed down towards them. Evan nodded, pulling out the two three terabyte hard drives Lui had acquired.

"Good. Don't stay long in there either, okay? There will be other guards down there, so try not to get wounded, and also—"

"John," Jonathan's name coming from Evan's mouth made him start slightly. He hadn't realized he'd been rambling.

"We will be fine. I'll take good care of Alexa, I promise."

Jonathan was silent, staring at his crush. Finally, he caved, and gathered Evan into a tight hug, which the latter reciprocated warmly.

"It's not Alexa I'm worried about…" Jonathan sighed, his hands turning to fists clenching Evan's jogging shirt under his bullet-proof armor. Jonathan pulled back and started off in the opposite direction before Evan could say something.

Jonathan rounded the corner and joined the main hallway again, following the sounds of gunfire. As he ran, he passed guards punctured from bullets, cameras sparking and smoldering slightly, and even a few blast burns from Brian's explosions.

Tyler was the first one he came across. Tyler was sneaking down a side hallway, and Jonathan had to backtrack he almost missed him.

"Tyler?" Jonathan hissed, coming up behind him. The guy was crouched low, Kel-Tec KSG at the ready. The hallway itself was dark and lights were flickering gently, casting long shadows behind the two on the pale, concrete floor and white-washed walls.

"You hear it too?" Tyler whispered, taking another low step.

Jonathan strained his ears to pick it up, but the distant gunfire from Brock and Brian was betraying nothing. Then, he heard it. It was a silent cry, a female cry. She sounded like she was pleading with someone.

"Yeah…"

"It's coming from behind a door at the end of the hall. I wanna take a look inside…"

"Ty, we didn't come here to rescue people."

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know that," Tyler waved him off, insistent.

"Tyler!" Jonathan hissed angrily. That made Tyler stop and turn to glare up at him.

"We can't make this a complicated mission. This is a search and destroy, not a rescue. And besides," Jonathan nodded his head. "If that's a Renegade, then we don't wanna interfere."

Tyler was silent. "But what if it's not?"

Jonathan had been thinking that too, but he was saved by Brock's voice coming on the intercom system.

"Hey guys so I don't mean to interrupt, but we just got ourselves cornered into a maintenance closet…?"

"Guards caught you guys during Seven Minutes in Heaven?" Tyler snickered, rolling his eyes at Jonathan before following him out to the main hallway.

"Yes and it is very rude of them," Brock's laugh rang over the intercom. "Brian was in the middle of giving me a terrific blowjob."

Jonathan could hear Evan and Alexa laughing on the intercom system too. He felt a small amount of relief; they were safe.

"Of all the things I was expecting to hear during this heist," Alexa squeaked through laughs. "I was not prepared for that."

"So where is this closet then?" Tyler asked, glancing down a hallway as the two ran.

"End of the hallway and to the right. You can't miss it; there's like ten guys out there," Brian laughed.

"Come to see the show I guess?" Evan snickered.

"COME SEE SOME HOMOS SUCKIN DICK IN A CLOSET DURING A MASSIVE HEIST!" Tyler screeched with laughter. Jonathan was giggling too, but stopped when he heard guards shouting at the end of the hall and begin to fire at them.

"That's some kinky porn you guys are making down there," Craig observed. Jonathan reloaded his gun, slamming the butt of the rifle into a guy's nose as he did so.

"Okay ladies, come out of the closet!" Jonathan laughed, knocking on the maintenance closet door. Brian and Brock came tumbling out, laughing.

"Dammit Jonathan, five more minutes?" Brock teased, elbowing him as he reloaded his weapon.

"Five more minutes?" Brian widened his eyes in mock excitement. "What are we waiting for? Let's finish," and Brian wrapped an arm around Brock's waist suppressing a laugh.

Tyler and Jonathan groaned, and laughed again. They had to move on.

Three miles up the road from the bunker, Craig had his nose pressed against the laptop screen. Thanks to Lui's tracking tags implanted in the blockers which allowed only him to track them, Craig could follow the location of every one of their friends in the bunker. Currently, he was watching the four heavies make their way through the third quadrant of the third floor of the bunker. They were attracting a lot of attention, and the number of rounds they'd used up in shooting was starting to worry Craig a little. Evan and Alexa were in the computer room, unmoving and unthreatened. In his earpiece, he could hear the conversations the guys in the bunker were having, as well as the gunfire.

Lui was sitting in the driver's seat, monitoring the bunker's system. It wasn't exactly a help that Alexa was deleting every file she could find off the bunker's system, but it also kept tabs on who else might be on.

Lui rolled his shoulders, stretching, and glanced at Craig. He smiled, shaking his head when he saw the intent expression on his face.

"Stop worrying so much Craig. We got this under control."

Craig sighed, closing his eyes maybe for the first time since the heist began. "I know, I just…worrying…"

"I know how you feel," Lui hummed, and both glanced down the road towards the dark spot that was the compound. The fiery remains of the van and helicopter were the only light in the compound.

"How's your leg?" Lui asked, changing the subject.

"Sore, but good. Alexa didn't think it would be a good idea for me to participate though."

Lui nodded quietly.

"How much longer?" Craig asked.

"Three minutes at max. Those two are tearing through the code, so we'll be out of here in no time," Lui glanced at Craig again, and smiled reassuringly. "Tyler ain't gonna do anything stupid if he knows you're waiting for him."

Craig sighed a laugh. "He's Tyler."

"True, but he's got something worth loosing…we all do," Lui looked out the window to the compound again. Lui was right; the main reason for severing contacts with girlfriends and family was to avoid this very moment, when they could not put everything on the line because of someone they cared for.

"Everyone except Alexa," Craig clarified, and Lui nodded sadly.

"Jonathan's got Evan, and Alexa killed her last boyfriend, remember?"

Lui nodded again. The house raid was still clear in both of their heads.

"…Has Alexa said anything about…Andrew?"

Lui shrugged. "She keeps everything pent up. I don't know if she said something to Jonathan about it—I doubt it—and we're both close with her."

Craig nodded. She was keeping it bottled up, typical Alexa.

"When we went back to kill Andrew…she just put a gun to his head and shot him. Nothing special. She treated him like any other scum Renegade…"

"And the point is?" Lui asked, frowning slightly.

Craig's voice hitched. He couldn't entirely explain it. "I…I guess…if I had been through what Alexa has been through, I wouldn't be so…so nonchalant about killing them, right?"

Lui's eyes were squinted in thought, but he nodded.

"You forget, though. This is Alexa. We may never know what's going on in her head. We may never understand why she agreed to live in pretty much a frat house filled with guys after what happened to her. We may never get why she is so comfortable with killing people she used to love. We may never learn how she manages to go through each day with so much history behind her…" Lui drifted off in thought. After a moment of silence, he looked up Craig.

"And I hope we never find out."

Craig's eyes widened at that, but the more he thought about it, the more he understood why Lui was right. If he ever came to understand Alexa on a psychological level, he would never be able to go back. If any of them began to see like Alexa, they could never really leave the program. And that was why Alexa could live day to day, why she could kill with ease. There is no world for her outside of Renegades.

"Jonathan, though…"

"Like you said, Jonathan's got Evan," Lui mumbled, sadly. "He can adjust. Alexa…"

Lui didn't finish his sentence. Instead, he became very interested with his computer screen. Craig could see it flickering from his passenger side seat, and frowned. With the virus working its magic on the data base, he wasn't surprised, but the way Lui was starring made him uneasy.

"Lui?" Alexa's voice crackled over the intercom. The background noise on her mic was terrible. Lui clicked his mic back on before responding with a cautious "yes?"

"How long did you say that self-destruct timer is?"

"Jeez 'Lex, did you find a tornado simulator while you were down there or something?" Brian asked.

Craig understood now why Lui was starring so intently. He felt his blood run cold when he saw the numbers scrolling across it.

"Not exactly…we may have created one though…" Alexa coughed.

"What did you do?" Lui's voice low and scared.

"There was some kind of trip wire set we think." Evan's voice, panicked. He was coughing too. "We must have deleted part of it and set the timer off. The entire place is filling up with Halon gas!"

"What the fuck?" Brock near shouted. "Halon gas as defence?"

"Pushes breathable air out, so unless you wanna die from asphyxiation, you get out too," Brian replied. It was a good defense, and Craig would have admired the use of it, if his friends weren't the ones stuck in it.

"You guys don't have gas masks!" Jonathan's voice rising to a near squad in fear.

"What's worse," Lui started, looking at his screen and typing furiously. "You all have two minutes and forty-seconds to get at least two miles away from that bunker before it explodes, halon gas or not."

Silence as the reality of their situation hit them all. They had all been too cocky and had forgotten to check for obvious problems, the most obvious being Halon gas in a computer room. The second obvious problem, there would be a trip wire hidden in the data in case of this very robbery happened.

"Change of plans," Jonathan jumped into action. "Lex and Ev, I'm coming to get you guys. Get into the stair well and I'll find you. Rest of you, get to the Suzukis. Hold off any reinforcements that might arrive. Craig, Lui, get down here. We need backup."

"Got it," Craig nodded. Craig watched as Tyler lead Brian and Brock back towards the compound several floors above.

"Craig, give me eyes. Fastest way to Ev and Lexa," Jonathan pleaded. The desperation in his voice cut Craig deep. But he understood why Jonathan was so scared: like Lui had said long ago, "what if the next time I see him, he's dead and I'm still just his 'good friend'?" Jonathan couldn't let his best friends die, especially Evan. So Craig swallowed hard, and brought up the bunker layout, scanning for the closest stair well.

"Okay, you're going to head down a hall to your direct left, go down that for several doors and the fourth one on the right will be a service stairwell. Keep going down that, and take that door at the very bottom of the hall. Yeah, that's it. Now, right, and you should see a glass wall looking in to the computer room. Hold your breath, and break it."


	5. Chapter 26 - Better Days

Alexa was coughing, badly. She was tiny in comparison to Evan, so her lungs were probably on fire. When the gas started, Alexa pushed them both to the ground and called Lui for help. She started coughing very quickly, and it was all Evan could do to keep her conscious. When Jonathan arrived, Evan saw his eyes widen when he caught sight of Alexa wrapped limp and barely breathing in Evan's arms as he fought for breath. Jonathan shot up the glass walls separating the hallway from the observation room from the computer towers. The observation room was filled with computers, used for filing data or accessing and tracking Renegades.

Jonathan rushed through the newly shattered holes, pressing his hand against Evan's cheek and stroking Alexa's hair. Evan nodded he was fine, before staggering to his feet with Jonathan's help. Evan carried Alexa bridal style, kneeling against the hallway door next to the staircase entrance and leaning her against it. Evan and Jonathan both knelt in front of her, Jonathan pressed a finger to her jugular to check her pulse while Evan gently patted her back as she coughed for air.

"Lexa?" Jonathan's eyebrows were knit together in deep concern, brushing a strand of hair out of her face and behind her ear. Evan watched the interaction, feeling guilty from the small shred of resentment for it.

Alexa coughed, no blood, and groaned. "I fucking hate Halon gas…" she mumbled, and Evan snorted a laugh. Yeah, she was fine.

Jonathan looked up at Evan. "How much of the data did you guys get?"

Evan bit his lip, looking down at his front jeans pockets where both hard drives were stuffed. "We filled up one hard driver, and there is 200 megabytes left to get."

Jonathan ran a hand through his lengthening hair, thinking.

"Lui, time?"

"Two minutes and ten-seconds."

Jonathan held out his hand for the hard driver. Evan gave it to him, and watched him stand up, confused.

"I'm going in."

Evan's eyes widened and he caught Jonathan's arm, standing up himself. He felt light headed standing up so quickly, but he didn't care. "You are NOT going in there!"

Jonathan glared at him. "What choice do we have? We want those 200 megabytes, and you need to catch your breath."

"You are not risking your life, John."

"It isn't your call, Ev."

"It is my call if it means you get hurt!" Evan cried, his grip tightening as he realized what he just said.

Jonathan's eyes widened, never leaving Evan's eyes.

"I know I'm hard to love, but that's because I don't wanna get it wrong. I want to be the perfect guy—for you—but I'm terrified that you can do better than me."

Jonathan kept starring, but after a moment he smiled, and laughed gently.

"You know something, owl boy?" Jonathan smiled, shrugging off his arm and backing up through the hole in the glass wall and into the observation room. "You have the worst timing, ever."

Evan smiled. "Just don't die, got it?"

"I won't promise that!" Jonathan teased, turning around and running back into the computer tower room, pulling his shirt over his face.

Evan slumped to the floor, Alexa on his left, and blew at a strand of hair in his face. He glanced to his left, and saw Alexa smiling smugly, eyes closed.

"What?"

"It's about fucking time you guys fixed this," she replied, raising an eyebrow and opening one eye to look at him.

Evan rolled his eyes and punched the giggling girl next to him. He had to admit, she was a pretty good wingman; almost dying from Halon gas and bringing Jonathan back for him.

When he came back, Jonathan managed to cough out how much of the download was left and gave Evan the hard drive. They switched off like this one more time each, until finally Evan watched the download bar creep up to 100% and ran back to where Jonathan and an okay Alexa were waiting for him.

"It's done?" Jonathan asked, excitedly.

Evan grinned, waving the hard driver at the two of them as he stuffed it into his other jeans pocket.

"Fifty seconds!" Lui's voice cut through the rushing Halon gas and made the three of them start. Evan opened the staircase door for Jonathan and Alexa to pass through, then took up the rear of the three as they took the five staircases up to first floor two at a time.

"Craig, eyes?" Jonathan called.

"Keep going up, then take an immediate left," Craig responded.

"Fuck this. Everyone in the car, leave the Suzukis for the suicide runners," Lui ordered.

"Oh yeah? All of us piled into one car making a daring escape? Fool proof," Tyler retorted, sarcastically.

"Ya' know what? The day you come up with a better plan that doesn't include getting piled into a small as balls car with your fat ass making an escape, then you can bitch," David snapped. "We only got fifty seconds. Just fucking get in the fucking car."

"Now forty."

"Don't be a fucking time bomb, Lui," Alexa pleaded. They were only on the third floor.

Jonathan threw open the door to the hallway, darting through it. Then Alexa, and finally Evan, skidding slightly on the dust from the gun fight.

"Fuck it's slippery up here!" Evan complained, almost loosing his balance.

"Just keep running!" Jonathan called behind him. He took the immediate left, counting the doors as the three ran into a cafeteria-style room. Evan didn't have time to take in the dead bodies of guards resting around the room, he put all his effort into staying up right.

"CRAIG?" Jonathan was starting to loose it. He skidded to a halt in the center of the room, looking around him lost.

"Thirty…" Lui hummed, nervously.

"On your right! NOW, NOW!" Craig's speech was jittery. Jonathan skidded again, Alexa crashing into him, while Evan caught the door frame. At the end of the hall, Evan could see the dark sky and compound grounds outside. Lights from the Outback were blaring as the seven boys in the car screamed: "RUN!"

The three of them launched their way down the hallway, beating their feet against the linoleum floor as hard and as fast as they could. Evan's heart was in his throat.

Evan watched the Outback as Lui hit the gas and rocketed with the other six guys pilled in out the gates. Alexa and Jonathan were already mounting the motorcycles left behind; Evan dove onto the spare bike, sliding the bike's helmet over his head. Jonathan revved his engine before skidding his bike around and zooming through the broken gate, Alexa following and Evan taking up the rear.

"FIFTEN SECONDS!" Lui screeched.

The Outback was far ahead of them now, but the three on bikes were catching up quick.

"go faster You'RE ALMOST OUT OF RANGE," Craig screamed.

"These bikes can't go any faster! They're near dead!" Alexa panicked.

Evan pushed his bike to go faster, coming up along side Alexa nearly. But she swerved before Evan could catch her eye, dodging something.

She noticed the rock. Evan didn't.

The wheel of his bike turned sideways, sharply, and Evan came off, turning over in a sharp front flip and landing on his back. His bike skidded on the dirt, slamming into his side and trapping his arm with a sharp crack that made him scream.

And then, the bunker exploded.

It wasn't gentle, it was a shock wave Evan felt hit him like a truck. Evan was rolled overly the sheer force of the explosion and was pushed slightly by the bike pining his arm under it. Everything went silent, and the ringing sensation in Evan's ears was deafening. If the shock wave was first, the heat wave was next, and Evan could smell the heated air even before it arrived, and when the blast arrived, Evan buried his head under his free arm to protect it. Vaguely, Evan was aware of someone calling his name, and as Evan raised his head blearily from the dirt road and looked up it, he could see headlights turning on him and two figures darting between the light of the headlights and the darkness. Everything was in slow motion for him. When Evan glanced over his shoulder, the bunker had transformed into a pillar of fire and rubble.

Something disturbed the ground next to him, and someone was pulling at his face. The motorcycle pinning him was lifted off by someone else, and he felt people grabbing his arms and hauling him away. Their touch felt like needles on his skin, and Evan screamed in protest. He couldn't open his eyes, so he wasn't sure if it was his friends or someone else carrying him. Instead, Evan thrashed his legs and clawed at the invisible strangers, shouting abuse he couldn't hear leave his own lips.

Everything was dark, painful, and silent.

* * *

Tyler slammed his fists against the side of the car repeatedly as Alexa and Jonathan piled the singed figure of Evan into the trunk of the Outback and closed the lid. Jonathan was shaking with sobs, and Alexa was tearful as she hugged Jonathan tight. Tyler scrunched his eyes up holding back tears, and slammed his fist into the car side again.

He felt a gentle hand place itself on his back. Craig.

"Ty…We're taking a motor bike. I'll drive if you want—"

Tyler shook his head, pushing himself away from the back window looking in at the unconscious figure of Evan, and moving towards one of the working Suzukis. He pulled it up, violently, and revved the engine.

"Let's fucking go," Tyler growled, unable to look up at anyone.

Craig was hesitant, but sat on the back of Tyler's bike, wrapping his arms around the other's waist and squeezing gently. Tyler melted under Craig's touch, and allowed himself one shaky sob. Craig must of felt it, because his squeeze became tighter and Tyler felt his hot breath against his ear.

"Tyler, you sure you don't want me to drive?"

"I'm fine."

Craig loosened his squeeze after Tyler's sharp reply, taken aback. But before Tyler could say sorry, the other motorcycle engine revved and the Outback switched into gear. They were moving.

As they drove the intercom was silent. No one knew what to say.

Finally, Brock coughed. "Lui, um, time?"

"Three twenty seven AM, November 28th," Lui recited with a sigh.

"It's my birthday," Brock stated, sadly.

"Yeah it is, happy birthday," Brian tried to be cheerful. It didn't work.

"Some fucking awful birthday this is…On the run after blowing up a building, best friend dying in the back seat," Brock listed it off, his voice becoming more and more spiteful with each word. "I'm holding a fucking gun I've used to kill real people with…"

"Brock—" David started, but he didn't get a chance to finish.

"Don't, David," Brock sounded defeated, in pain almost.

"Brock, how old are you?" Alexa asked, cutting in. There was a long pause before Brock could answer.

"Thirty-two," Brock sighed. "Where are you going with this Ale—"

"What were you doing this time last year?"

Another long silence, but finally Brock laughed gently. "I was in LA. In the morning, I was playing GTA V with Lui. Eventually, Evan, Jonathan, and Brian joined in. We played all day, blowing up shit and trolling public lobbies. It was the funniest shit in the world, just getting to play without having to worry about recording. Then later, Tom kidnapped me with Evan and Lui and a bunch of others. We hit up nearly every bar in downtown. I barely remember what happened that night I drank so much, but it was the greatest—" Brock's voice caught.

"Alexa if you're trying to make me feel better—"

"I'm not."

Tyler frowned at that. Alexa was dark, and could be very mean, but she wasn't the kinda person to make her friends feel bad on purpose.

"I want you to remember what life was like before Renegades. I want you to smile when you think of your past and know that THAT birthday is still in your future. And yeah, we blew up a building, Evan's unconscious in the back of the car, you and Craig got shot, David pulled bullets and shrapnel out of you both, Tyler gave up his fucking fiancé for this shit, and Lui wired his own goddamn house up to be a fortress.

"Shit ain't great right now, that's true. But fuck we've had some great times. We showed up that Renegade program three—four times now, Evan pulled off a suicide mission against all odds, you have the best weapons score second only to me, Craig overcame a fucking bullet wound that nicked an artery, David saved the lives of both of you, Tyler drove like a madman to get Craig back to safety, and Lui is the literal reason we've been so successful in our missions. And again, what about that amazingly fun night at the bar? What about the massive GMod game we played after Evan's suicide mission? What about all those times we bummed out by the pool, drank so much we passed out, trained until our limbs were on fire, swore we'd kill each other over every live stream?"

Alexa took a breath, but even Tyler was smiling. Yeah, they were great memories, memories Tyler wouldn't trade for the world. He felt Craig's grip around his waist tighten and his head lean against Tyler's shoulder.

"I know this birthday isn't exactly a normal birthday, or even one you want…but at least you got one hell of a candle?" Alexa tried, laughing at her poor attempt at humor.

Regardless, the others laughed, partly out of pity, partly because of her signature sense of humor: dark, and sometimes inappropriate. But it happened to be exactly what they all needed to hear, Tyler included.

"Thanks Alexa," Brock chuckled. "And you are so not speaking at any wedding of mine."

Tyler laughed hard, grinning as he felt Craig press against his back, laughing too.

"Fuck you I'd be a great speaker and you know it," Alexa giggled.

"All those in favor of NOT inviting Alexa to their weddings say 'I'," Jonathan posed, laughing as Alexa smacking his back. A coarse of "I"s echoed through Tyler's earpiece, himself included. The conversation continued, light and happy, as the Outback and three motorbikes sped on to the highway, rocketing back towards main base. Everything was going to be okay.

And Tyler prayed for the love of whoever was up there that Evan would be fine.


	6. Chapter 27 - Merry Christmas, Boys

Brock was scrolling through channels, searching for the very specific one. When he found it, he smirked, clicking on the channel and turning up the TV in the living room to full volume. Everyone was spaced out around the house doing something or the other, only Evan was constantly in one spot: his room. Evan was fine, and had been awake and moaning by the time they all got back to Lui's place after the big heist in El Capitan. Moving him from the car to the house had been a very funny swearing match between Evan, David, and Tyler, who were carrying him.

Now it was a week later. They had made some serious bank, there had not been an attack in a whole week, they had lived through their first year of Renegades, and it was almost Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas…

"Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…" the song began, and Brock heard a collective groan from the kitchen.

"Brock! I'll be singing this crap all night!" David scowled, leaning out of the door, oven mitts on his hands and an apron tied around his waist. He was helping Alexa cook, why she trusted him though Brock couldn't get his head around.

"It's festive, David!" Brock retorted, frowning as he swooped up his glass of champagne and headed back towards the kitchen. "No need to get so salty about a little music."

 _Jack Frost nipping at your nose…_

"I'm with David here," Alexa cut in. Her back was turned to Brock, but she was wearing the same thing as he: apron but no oven mitt. She turned around, wiping her hands on her apron front and raising an eyebrow. "I love Christmas as much as the sap, but this song…"

"I'm not changing it," Brock pointed his little finger at her warningly, but it was all in good humor. They didn't mind the song, Brock knew it the moment they started humming along.

 _Yuletide carols being sung by a choir…_

"Who is the motherfucker who turned on Christmas music?" Tyler shouted, stomping into the kitchen with tinsel wrapped around his neck like a scarf and antlers on his head. Jonathan followed him, grinning from ear to ear, antlers on his head, waving more.

"Brock," Alexa and David in unison, casually nodding their heads at him as the continued cooking. Brock held up his hands in self defense.

"I can explain…?" Brock giggled. Tyler advanced on him, but instead took his glass of champagne, winked, and backed up as Jonathan jumped in an attached antlers to Brock's head.

 _And folks dressed up like Eskimos…_

"That's your punishment," Jonathan and Tyler laughed as Brock scowled at the two before turning back to the open bottle of champagne on the table. He poured himself and Jonathan a glass each, handing Jonathan's to him and clinking his glass against the other two's. Jonathan went over to Alexa next, slipping antlers onto her head and dodging the wooden spoon she swung at him in the process.

"You seen Brian?" Brock asked, taking a sip.

"Busy with my boyfriend, probably," Tyler rolled his eyes, drinking. Both of them spluttered a laugh into their drink as they imagined that.

"Where is Lui, David?" Tyler asked, turning to David with a mischievous grin. He was half expecting David to say he was busy with Brian and Craig.

"Still in the closet," David chuckled. That made the entire kitchen erupt in laughter.

 _Everybody knows a turkey and some mistletoe…_

Lui appeared in the door, squeaking "you guys talking shit about me, huh?" before heading to the table and pouring himself a glass of champagne.

"Minors can't drink!" Jonathan shouted, swooping in and taking Lui's glass. Lui punched him, making Jonathan laugh his signature laugh and hand the glass back.

"Like you can talk," Lui mumbled into his glass as he drank.

 _Help to make the season bright…_

"I'm twenty-nine, excuse you," Jonathan snickered, drinking his own glass.

"As far as Brock and I are concerned," Lui grinned, elbowing Brock in the side. "You guys are all babies."

Brock and Lui laughed, clinking glasses together. Lui raised a hand to his head as he felt Jonathan slip antlers onto his head, but didn't protest. Everyone now had antlers.

"Jonathan were did you find these stupid antlers?" David asked, touching his own pair.

Jonathan laughed. "When we went out Christmas decoration shopping the other day," he replied, taking another sip and pulling something else from the box of Christmas "horrors".

 _Tiny tots with their eyes all aglow…_

Brock followed Jonathan with his eyes as he sneaked over to the kitchen doorframe and—using duck tape— attached a green thread with some white flowers to the end of it in the door frame. When Brock understood what it was, he groaned.

"Jonathan, you little shit," Brock laughed, taking in the fake mistletoe Jonathan had just tapped to the doorframe. Everyone in the kitchen turned, and groaned as well, calling Jonathan every name under the sun.

"You guys will thank me later," Jonathan winked, tugging on Tyler's arm and exiting with Tyler in tow to wreak havoc on the rest of the house.

 _Will find it hard to sleep tonight…_

The coffee machine binged then, and Alexa broke away from hovering over the oven to pouring herself a cup of coffee, dumping two shots of whiskey in it, and then four spoons of freshly whipped cream into it. Brock caught her eye, and she winked.

"Irish coffee?" She offered. Brock nodded enthusiastically, and Alexa poured him one.

From the stairs, Brock heard the sounds of running feat and shouting. Alexa rolled her eyes, walking to the doorframe and leaning out.

"Did I forget to mention coffee is ready?" She called

 _They know that Santa's on his way…_

Brian and Craig came bolting through the doorway, both coming to a screeching halt and smiled eagerly at Alexa. She burst out laughing.

"Could you guys look anymore desperate right now?"

"We fucking paused the live stream so we could get this Irish Coffee shit you mentioned earlier, you are not turning us down now," Brian glared. Alexa sneered at him, but smiled, pouring him and Craig one each.

Brock smiled as he caught Brian's eye, and held out an arm for Brian to fall into while he waited. Brian took it, and wrapped his own arms around Brock's neck in a long hug.

 _He'd loaded lots of toys and goodies on his sleigh…_

"Did you not see the thing in the doorway?" Brock asked innocently, pulling back from Brian a small bit and smirking at him. Brian blinked, confused. Brock pointed at the mistletoe behind them, and Brian's eyes widened as he laughed.

"Does that mean I have to kiss Craig?" Brian asked, glancing back and winking at Craig who also just now noticing the mistletoe.

Brock laughed, "that wasn't the guy I had in mind…"

Before Brock could say anything, Alexa handed both coffees to Craig, who started to back out the door.

"Come on Brian! I'm gonna drink your coffee if you don't—" Craig was cut short by someone wrapping their arms around Craig's waist and spinning him. Tyler.

 _And every mother's child is gonna spy…_

Tyler kissed Craig gently, Craig closing his eyes as he realized what was going on and Jonathan taking the coffee out of Craig's hands before he could drop them. In the kitchen, Alexa and David hooted while Brock and Brian clapped, Brian shouting "finally!"

When Tyler let him go, he wrapped an arm around Craig's shoulders, whispering to him "you're not going back up there," and silencing Craig's protests with another kiss.

Brian smirked, turning to Brock and kissing him quickly on the lips. "I'm going to go shut down the live stream. I better catch you under that mistletoe next," Brian winked before darting out the quickly crowding kitchen, taking his coffee with him.

 _To see if reindeer really know how to fly…_

"I checked on Evan, he's still asleep, and still alive," Jonathan told David, as he grabbed an Irish coffee and drank from it too. Alexa had made some for everyone know, and Brock grabbed his own.

"He won't still be asleep if you keep pestering him all the time," David retorted. "And you know he needs to sleep."

Lui appeared beside David, leaning his back against the countertop and holding out his Irish coffee for David to drink. David smiled at him, taking it and taking a long drink from the mug before handing it back. Lui snickered, and mumbled to David he had a cream mustache.

 _And so I'm offering this simple phrase…_

Brian came bouncing back into the kitchen now, but stayed framed in the doorway, under the mistletoe. Brock rolled his eyes, placing his drink down on the table and sauntering over to Brian. Brian smirked back, wrapping his arms around Brock's neck again and pressing his nose against Brock's.

"I like you…a lot," Brian whispered, smiling. Brock smiled, starring at his partner's eyes and how large they were. His smile turned to a smirk as he got an idea.

Brock swung Brian around, tipping him down and holding him tightly with one hand on his back and the other caressing his cheek. Brian's leg flailed helplessly in the air and his eyes were wide as Brock pressed his lips down on Brian for a dip kiss.

 _To kids from one to ninety-two…_

Hoots and cheers from the kitchen echoed throughout the house as Brock pulled Brian back up. Brian gasped, starring at Brock.

"You still just 'like me'?" Brock smirked. "'Cuz I'm fucking crazy about you."

Brian grinned, and threw himself against Brock, kissing him hard.

"Can we move the gay INTO the kitchen and not in the hallway?" a familiar voice groaned, and Brock broke away to see Evan—bags under his eyes, scruffy hair, and arm in a sling—standing a few feet away, smiling amused at the festivities.

"EVAN!" Everyone shouted, piling out of the kitchen and into the connecting hallway, wrapping the injured man into a tight hug that no plaintiff protest could break up.

 _Although it's been said…_

"How are you feeling?" "Does you arm hurt?" "Sorry for crushing it!" everyone was speaking at once, but Brock could see that Evan's eyes never left Jonathan's, both smiling. Evan made his way to Jonathan, growing redder with each step.

"So…what did I miss?"

Jonathan rolled his eyes, and took his hand, leading him towards the kitchen doorway. "Not much. A little festivities, a little drinking, Brock's birthday cake…"

 _Many times, many ways…_

Jonathan stopped in the doorway, still holding Evan's hand, and pointed up at the mistletoe hanging from the doorframe. Evan looked up, following his hand, and blushed impossibly harder when he saw it.

"Um…" he mumbled, looking back at Jonathan.

Brock felt Brian squeeze his hand. Everyone was watching, waiting. This dance had gone on too long, and those two motherfuckers were going to kiss, either on their own free will, or by force from the rest of them.

Jonathan placed his hands on Evan's hips. "Your call, boss," Jonathan grinned, blushing a little himself.

And slowly, excruciatingly slowly, Evan leaned in till he and Jonathan were only centimeters apart. Everything was silent, except for the song as it drew to a close the same time as Evan and Jonathan drew closer until their lips touched and their first real kiss happened.

 _Merry Christmas…_

Everyone cheered as Evan and Jonathan kissed, grinning at one another and shouting mock abuse at the couple. But they seemed totally unaware that anyone except each other existed. It was just Evan and Jonathan, wrapped up in their own world, where no one could trouble them, no one could see them. And it wasn't for several more long seconds did they break apart, blushing as they made shy eye contact with each other, and grinned.

 _To you._

"ABOUT TIME," Brock shouted, and the laughter and shouting resumed as everyone pilled into the kitchen, pouring out champagne for everyone. Their glasses raised in a call of "Merry Christmas," the tinkling of laugh and glass against glass as everyone shouted cheers before drinking, it was a beautiful Christmas. Brian had his arm wrapped around Brock the entire time, and across from him, Brock caught Evan's eye and he could see Evan's hand wrapped tightly around Jonathan's. Brock winked, and Evan rolled his eyes at him over the top of his glass.

Maybe Alexa was right. The bad times were bad, but it was these moments, these moments of total and utter bliss when everything went right, that Brock knew were the best moments of his life.

* * *

Alexa was awake. Everyone in the house was long asleep after a night of drinking, kissing, and finally crashing. It was only Alexa who was alone, only Alexa who was awake.

She didn't pity herself, though. In fact, she pitted the other guys. Because if they knew what she knew right now, starring at the bright screen of her computer with tears running down her cheeks as she sobbed and screamed silently into her pillow unable to tear her eyes away from the images on it, they wouldn't be asleep right now.

They wouldn't be OKAY right now.

The email had arrived at about one in the morning. Alexa had originally opened it on her phone, but the files were too large, so she opened her computer. The email was from a protected address, so no tracing—not that she didn't try—but she knew who it was right away when she opened the email and saw the files attached.

The files were videos, raw, uncut videos, each about six minutes in length. Alexa frowned as she clicked the download button, waiting until every video was downloaded before opening the first one. But when she saw who was center screen in the video, her heart stopped and her stomach dropped.

Tom. It was Syndicate. He was sitting in a chair, tied in place with zip ties around his ankles and presumably zip ties around his wrists behind the chair. The room looked like a basement, grimy and dark except for the bare lightbulb hanging out of shot above. Tom was crying, eyes bloodshot and nose running, pleading with someone behind the camera to let him go between painful sobs. After several seconds of empty pleading, three figures in ski masks and dark suits moved past camera positioned themselves around Tom so that the camera could still see him.

Alexa got it as soon as she saw what the men were carrying: one had a butterfly knife, one had a pair of pliers, and the other had a hammer.

This was a torture video.

Tom's screams were loud, so loud Alexa turned off the volume with a jolt. But even without volume, she felt her own stomach twist and contort as the gruesome video of Tom's torture played out. Alexa felt herself suffocating as the video played, her nails dug into the pillow she had grabbed and now was hugging. It felt like the video wouldn't end, there would just be more and more blood, more and more silent screams, and more and more pain. Yet just before the six minutes were up, one of the men pulled out a gun and shot Tom in the side of the head.

She jumped, her entire body convulsing in sympathy as the bullet ripped through the man's head. He slumped sideways, and was still, blood pooling under his feet and the men walked out of frame.

The video ended just like that, a still frame of Tom's dead body lifeless tied to a chair. Alexa swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling her stomach flip as she closed the video and moved her mouse shakily to the next one, to number two.

The next video was Cartoonz, Luke, the same man who had helped get weapon supplies to them several times. Same style, same weapons, same screams of agony, same death. It ended the same way, with a still frame of Cartoonz's lifeless figure still tied to the chair, it was the same chair they had used for Tom too.

The next video had two people: Droidd and Ohmwrecker. When she saw them, Alexa gasped. They weren't targeting people who were helping them, they were killing everyone they cared about, everyone they were friends with. Same length, six men this time, same weapons, same deaths, same endings. Alexa didn't know what she was expecting, but she still cried with every silent scream, still twitched with every impact of the hammer or knife, still flinched with every gunshot.

They went after veryone. Seananners was next, then ZeRoyalViking, then ChilledChaos, BasicallyIDoWork, FourZer0Seven, Pewdiepie, the list went on. Most of the videos had two people in them, but in grand total, there were twelve videos. And every time, Alexa flinched, cried, twitched and felt her heart stop with every torture victim.

The very last video Alexa could barely open. Her mind was racing, trying to figure out who would be in the last video. Who else could they kill?

But the people in the video made Alexa scream, out loud.

Sydney, Nikki, and Mari. Tied to chairs, wide eyed and already screaming before the three men advanced on them with their bloodied tools. This time, Alexa looked away, and six minutes later when she looked back, the three girls were limp in their restraints.

Alexa starred, her eyes red, her cheeks burning, her fingers in pain, and her stomach convulsing. She was going to be sick. Alexa jumped off her bed and ran into the bathroom across the hall, burying her face in the toilet as she vomited.

Behind her, the bathroom door creaked and she felt several hands on her back. It wasn't until she sat up and the anonymous friends were wiping the vomit from her lips with tissue paper and stroking her back did she recognize them. Lui and David.

"Alexa…" Lui breathed, his eyebrows knit with concern as he waded up the tissue paper and threw it into the toilet, flushing it. "Are you okay?"

"You screamed…" David probed, still stroking her back and she fell back against him, breathing hard. Alexa couldn't speak; even though she had muted the videos, she could still hear the screams of the people killed. She felt guilty; she watched those videos, every single one, and she couldn't raise a finger to help them, no a single one. How could she tell David and Lui what she had just seen? Alexa hated Renegades for taking her childhood away from her, but now, they took her friend's lives away from them. She had just witnessed the massacre of their co-workers, their friends, and their loved ones. Alexa knew she didn't have a life for herself outside of Renegades, but now, none of them did.

"Bad dream," Alexa replied, forcing a smile onto her lips and chuckling. "I think I might of drank a little too much. Maybe I should not drink half a bottle of champagne and three Irish coffees next time?"

Lui and David chuckled at her joke. Lui clutched her hand, getting her to look at him one last time. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

He knew. He knew something was wrong. She couldn't tell him. Not like this.

"Bad. Dream."

Lui backed off, helping her to her feet and he and David led Alexa back to her room, where she closed the door, slid her laptop under her bed, and slipped into bed herself, pulling a pillow over her head to block out the screams of the twenty-seven people she had just seen tortured and murder in front of her very eyes.


	7. Chapter 28 - Tell The Truth

David was holding Evan's arm, directing it as he extended the arm, flexed it, and moved it around. David could feel the muscles and bones under Evan's skin move seamlessly; he'd healed up just fine.

Satisfied with the test, David dropped Evan's arm into his lap carefully before looking down at the man lying on the bed. David had moved up to Lui's room, which meant they now had an empty room David had grabbed for a hospital. The closet had been stripped of clothes and medicines, bags of blood the group had donated for themselves, syringes, and gauze had been arranged on the shelves instead. They had pretty much raided every CVS and Rite Aid in the area for all the supplies they had crammed into the closet. A make-shift IV drip hanging over the bed singles pushed together made of wires sat unused, while a silent computer monitor sat unused to David's right in the corner of the room. Behind him, at the foot of the double bed, was surgery tools and behind that against the far wall was a water cool with folded dollies stacked against the wall. Pushed against the wall in the far end were two more beds pressed together to make a double: four single beds in total. It wasn't a very good hospital, that's for sure, but it was everything they needed.

"How's it looking?" Evan asked, a hopeful smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.

David smiled back, patting his shoulder as he stood up off the side of the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "It looks good. Very good. Resting has healed you up very well. Be careful about lifting heavy crap for a few days, and you'll be back on the battle field in no time."

Evan laughed gently at that. David motioned for him to sit up and lift up his shirt so David could press a stethoscope to his back. Next, he shone a light in each eye to check pupil dilation, and finally blood pressure. Everything was normal, even ideal.

A soft knock at the door interrupted the silent check up, and Lui was standing in the door, eyebrows raised in hopefully silence.

David chuckled. "He'll live, sadly."

"Damn," Lui snickered. "Jonathan will be sad to hear that."

Evan threw his pillow at Lui, who dodged it but brought it back to Evan's bed, smirking at David. "If I just suffocate him…" Lui mashed the pillow into Evan's face who threw several blind punches at Lui, all the while laughing.

"Okay, okay, okay," David laughed, pushing Lui away and moving the pillow back behind Evan's head. "You're not killing my patient."

Lui rolled his eyes. "I'd be doing everyone a favor."

Evan flipped Lui off before asking "where's Jonathan then?"

"Out. He's filling the Outback up with gas while Brock and Ty do groceries."

The other two laughed. "Groceries?" He and Evan asked.

Lui laughed. "I know right? They left twenty minutes ago, so they'll be back soon. I wouldn't worry."

"You tracking them?" David asked. Lui always tracked his blocker bands whenever someone from their group left the house. And now, with the stolen Renegade data, he could track other Renegades.

Lui nodded. "No sign of any danger near. I came to check up on the faker here." The faker was Evan who, according to everyone in the house, was just faking the broken arm now so he didn't have to go through Alexa's bootcamp. Sure they were on break from the "kicking ass and taking names" streak, but that didn't stop Alexa from running them into the ground with sparing, cardio, dead lifts, gun range, anything and everything she could think of.

"What about the other three then?" Evan asked.

Lui rolled his eyes. "Game room. CSGO, I think. I told them to call me if play GTA."

David played the stethoscope onto the side table before moving around the bed to stand next to Lui and offered Evan a hand. Evan frowned, a little confused at first, before his eyes widened with understanding. He took it, pulling himself out of bed and—with Lui's help—steadied himself. He'd been unsteady when he had disobeyed David's bedrest order in favor of joining in the Christmas celebrations, and still kind of was. Alexa would be setting him on a recovery workout to get his balance back soon.

"I'll go make a guest appearance on whatever they are doing in the game room," Evan smirked, letting go of David's hand and making his way to the doorframe. Evan glanced back, looking for approval form David which he got with a nod before disappearing.

"Look at that," Lui smiled, looking after Evan. David looked down at the smaller man. "You daddy Hoodini?"

"Hoodini just wants to make sure he isn't going to die," David rolled his eyes, turning around to make the sick bed. He was still aware of Lui close behind him.

"Um," Lui started, but stopped. David stopped himself, his hands hovering over the sheets of the bed, waiting for whatever Lui was going to say.

"Are you…are you okay with…sharing my bed?" Lui asked, finally, a little embarrassed.

David straightened up and turned around to look at him, confused. "Why wouldn't I?"

Lui rubbed the back of his neck, then brushed a hand through his hair. "Well, I don't know…I just thought…I don't know…I didn't want to—you know…make it awkward…are something…"

David blinked. "Do you not want me there?"

"NO!" Lui cried hurriedly. He blushed, and David grinned. Lui wasn't the type to blush or be shy, not about anything. It different to see him so flustered, even cute.

"No, I just don't want you to feel you have no choice in sleeping arrangements," Lui finally managed to get out.

David blinked again, still grinning at the smaller man. Finally, he reached a hand to take Lui's and drew him close and into a hug. Lui was stiff in his arms, but it just made David chuckle.

"I like sleeping with you," David assured. He felt his own heart pick up the pass, realizing what he was saying. Oh well, better just say it all then.

"Honestly, I'd rather be sleeping with you than anyone else here."

Lui leaned back and angled his head up to look David in the eyes. He squinted, searching David's eyes as he did. Finally, he smiled, and reached up to David standing on his toes so he could plant a tiny kiss on the taller man's lips before dropping back down to the ground. Now it was David's turn to blush.

"I like you David, a lot," Lui confessed, his usual smirk back.

David beamed. Lui's devious smirk and David's small blush, it was perfect. David couldn't speak he was so happy. Lui had been a friend for so long, and he'd worried joining Renegades that Lui might disappear from his life in an explosion of bullets and blood forever. But he hadn't, and was instead standing in front of him, asking David with a pleading look to say the three words David had wanted to tell him for a year now.

"I like you too, Lui," David whispered hoarsely, and he bent down to interlock his lips with Lui's. It was perfect, magical, right. Everything about it was right. And for David, the smaller man before him was enough a reason to fight any fight, shoot any shot, and destroy anything that stood in their way.

Lui's phone started to beep, and the smaller man broke the kiss to pull it out of his front side pocket and glance at the screen. David watched his face as his eyes ran over the screen before bringing the phone to his ear.

"Guys?" Lui asked.

He cringed as loud crackle erupted through the phone's speakers. It was so loud even David could hear it. The line went dead after that, and Lui starred, shocked. He looked up at David and his expression said it all: what the fuck was going on?

Lui darted out of the room, David following him, both skidding into the main hall where the front door was already open. Evan was standing on the steps, looking out and frowning. When he heard Lui's and David's feet skid on the wooden floor of the hall, he turned, still frowning.

"There's gunshots outside…" Evan said to David. Lui had flown into the closet while upstairs the game door opened and Brian, Craig, and Alexa came out and leaned on the banister looking down.

"You heard it to?" Evan asked. The three nodded, and Alexa tossed one of her Berettas to Evan, who took off the safety and turned back to the open doorway.

"Lui got a call…" David started, but the loud "FUCK!" from the closet cut them off.

"FUCK FUCK FUCK!" Lui was screaming. He banged his fist furiously against the wall and David went instantly to the door, peaking inside. Lui was surrounding by laptops and displays, glaring at all of them and mumbling every curse word imaginable. He didn't look David, but he spoke to him anyway with a frustrated sigh. "They've been compromised. I guess they ran into a pack of Renegades wherever they were…" Lui slammed his fist against the wall again.

"I should've been watching them…"

David didn't say anything. Lui blamed himself, his emotions, his feelings towards David for getting in the way of his one job: taking care of the three outside. But David had thought, along with everyone else in the house including Lui, that there was no way they could be tracked anymore. They had wiped out the Renegade data house as well as everyone inside. There was no way Jonathan, Brock, and Tyler should have found.

But they were, and the screech of tires echoed up to the front door again, making David turn his head. Evan was joined by the other three, guns at the ready, waiting for whatever was coming their way. Brian and Craig turned their heads to glance at David, worry in their eyes and a single question written across their faces.

David shook his head, biting his lip.

The two men turned back to the open door, and David turned back to Lui, still leaning against the wall hating himself.

"Are they on their way back?" David asked, low, so only Lui could hear him.

Lui nodded a response.

"Can you see vitals on those monitors?"

Lui shook his head in response.

David leaned back out the doorway with a sigh. He glanced at the doorway again.

"Alexa?" He asked. Alexa glanced at him and got the message. She handed her other Beretta to Evan before running with David back into the sick room to grab one of the makeshift dollies.

"How the fuck did they find us?" David swore low, taking the lead and Alexa taking the rear as they straightened one out.

"No fucking clue," Alexa responded. She sounded panicked, just as panicked as everyone else probably. Her best friend was in that fucking mess about to come through the front door, and she was probably thinking the same thing as Brian and Craig: were they going to see live people, or dead bodies?

"You don't think they're…" David couldn't finish his sentence.

But Alexa didn't answer. David glanced behind him, and he could swear he saw guilt in her eyes. He stopped, and the sudden stop made her look up in confusion, but her confused look melted under David's hard and ever growing angrier stare.

"Alexa?" David muttered low under his breath. She wasn't telling him something. Something big, maybe the reason their friends were in the mess.

Alexa avoided his gaze.

"What are you not telling me?" David asked, his voice level.

"It's nothing."

"Sure doesn't look like nothing."

"It isn't necessary right—"

"If it's the reason behind why we are wheeling out a fucking makeshift fucking dolly incase one of our friends is really dead, then its real fucking necessary," David tried hard not to explode at the girl standing on the opposite side of the dolly, her head bent avoiding his glare.

She was silent a second longer, before looking up at him. David felt his heart stop as he read her eyes: she was pleading for forgiveness.

"Don't be mad."

David's mouth fell open. He didn't have time to respond however, as the sound of a car screeching to a halt outside the front door and screaming from the three guys waiting began. David turned and began pulling the dolly with Alexa pushing, both running out the front door and to the backdoor of the Outback where David could already see Craig and Evan reaching inside to haul whoever was inside out. Brian ran past David shouting as he went that he was going in to fix up three beds.

Jonathan stumbled out of the driver's seat, a large amount of blood running down the side of his face along with several lacerations on his upper arm. With a sharp nod, David instructed Alexa to take car of him while he watched as the unconscious body of—

David's stomach dropped when he recognized Brock's unconscious and badly bruised and bleeding figure being pulled out of the back door of the Outback. Brock's face was swollen, his eyes shut and lip cut. His neck and arms were scraped and bleeding, and one side of his body was red as if burned from something. Tyler was jumping out the other side, starring wildly around at the rest as running to Evan and Craig once he recognized them to help extract Brock. David rushed in with the dolly, and they laid Brock carefully on it. Jonathan was limping, barely able to stand up straight as Alexa practically carried him to the door where Lui was already waiting with a wheel chair.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" Evan was shouting. Tyler acted as if he just heard him, and looked up confused and bewildered at Evan. David swallowed, and glanced behind him, hoping Brian had a shock blanket ready for him.

"We—we were at Smart and Final—and—and I don't know—guns just started firing at us—and—we were fucking trapped—we barely got away—Brock—oh fuck Brock—they had grenades—" Tyler stammered as the four ran the dolly carrying Brock into the house. Inside, he could already hear Jonathan shouting frantically and Alexa shouting over him, trying to calm him down.

"How did this happen?" Evan asked. Tyler shook his head, terrified as everything came flashing back to him. He looked like a dear caught in headlights, and David felt his blood boil.

"Oh, I think I know how," David growled. Evan looked up at him alarmed, but didn't get the chance to say anything before Brian was flying at the dolly screaming Brock's name. Evan picked the man up, wrapping his arms around Brian's chest and under his arm pits and carrying him away as David lined the dolly up with the bed closest to the IV drips, before picking him up whole body with Craig and Tyler's help.

David ran around to Brock's left, tying a rag around Brock's upper arm and smacking his inner elbow joint for a vain, before inserting the IV drip and attaching a bag of Brock's own blood to the rig. Lui was a step ahead of him and had pushed the wheel table with all the surgery tools to the foot of Brock's bed, and with a grateful glance at him, David picked up the scissors. He went at Brock's shirt first, cutting the fabric away from his chest to exam the burns, which weren't too bad. In all honesty, David was worried about Brock's face.

Behind him, he could heart Lui and Craig working on subduing a frantic Tyler. It was working, as Tyler's at first short heavy breathes were lengthening and his voice's volume was lowering too. Evan came back into the room and went straight to Jonathan, and David could hear over the chaos of the room Alexa saying "he's okay, just got pretty beat up. His knuckles show he put up a good fight though."

David checked Brock's knuckles and saw the same result: bruised and slightly bloody. It had been a good fight, and David was impressed the three made it out like they did. David grabbed the stethoscope on the tray and placed its cold metal on Brock's heated chest.

"I'm fine Ev, I promise," Jonathan cooed, and David could hear the worried chuckle of Evan as he and Alexa stood over Jonathan.

"Evan! Where's Brian?" Craig asked.

"Put him in the kitchen. He's boiling water." The last part of that sentence was directed more towards David. They would only need boiling water if David was going to be performing surgery, but—as David pulled the stethoscope out of his ears and straightened up again—it didn't look like it was going to be necessary.

"Let him do it anyway," David said, turning to look at Evan and take in the rest of the room. They all looked frazzled, even the one's who hadn't been in the fight. Lui's eyes were red and so were Craig's. Tyler's pupils were dilated and he was shacking slightly with a large, fuzzy blanket wrapped around his shoulders. Jonathan had a bandage around his head with gauze padding on one side, his hair wet from the water Alexa used to clean his wound. Evan's hair was messy and a small sweat was beading on his forehead. Alexa's usual high pony was loose and messy, her eyes growing a little red as well.

Alexa…

David moved from Brock's side now, walking around Tyler's bed and over to Jonathan's, his eyes never leaving Alexa's as she backed up against the wall, a panic forming in her eyes. David's pace picked up until he was finally in front of Alexa.

He swung his fist, connecting it with Alexa's cheek bone and spinning her on to Tyler's bed, where she caught it herself and stayed still.

"David!" Evan shouted. The others started to shout to, asking him what he was doing. Lui even grabbed hold of his arm, yanking on it and making him stumble back and away from her. The hospital door opened and Brian came in, attracted by the sudden shouting and concerned.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE?" David screamed at Alexa, who was still motionless, bent over with her palms on the side of Tyler's bed. She didn't move, didn't look up.

"WHAT ARE YOU NOT TELLING US?" David shouted again. He could tell he was hurting her, and on any other day he would be the one holding her abuser back, beating them up and even killing them if Alexa was hurting. But right now, right fucking now, Alexa was lying to them.

The boys frowned, looking between David and Alexa.

"Lexa?" Lui asked, probing for a response. Lui's calm voice made her flinch, and she began to shake herself. She was crying, sobbing even, silently and trying with all her might to hold the tears wracking her small body back.

"What does David mean Lex?" Evan asked. "Do you know what happened?"

She shook her head violently.

"Then why does David say you know something?" Evan asked, calmly.

She let out a shudder breath, air catching in her throat as she did.

"…Because I know something…something I tried to protect you all from…" she sniffed hard. She was crying, but David just glared, waiting. He didn't feel sorry for her.

"You better start fucking saying what it is then," Brian stepped in, pushing past David and being jolted back by Lui as he grabbed Brian's arm as well. "Because my boyfriend is in that fucking bed unconscious because of you."

"I just tried to help…"

"Shut up Brian!" Evan glared, before turning on Alexa.

"ALexa. Tell us now."

Alexa took another shuddery breath, before explaining her secret. The secret that made Brian attack her, that made him pull a gun on her, that made Lui and Craig pull him out of the room. The secret that made Evan, Tyler, and David break down and scream. The secret that made Jonathan stare, open mouthed, unbelieving his own best friend had lied to them. The secret that finally broke them.

"A few nights ago, I received an email from one of the Renegade heads. It was twelve videos. Torture videos. They killed Tom, they killed Luke, they killed Adam, they killed Felix, they killed everyone. They even killed Mari, Sydeny, and Nikki. I'm sorry. I didn't know what to do. I could only watch…"


	8. Chapter 29 - Nightmare Scenario

Brock was unconscious. It was an infection, although David still didn't understand how he had contracted it. Brock was beaten, okay, but where he had gotten an infection from Brian couldn't understand.

It was two in the morning. Brian was spending another night sitting at Brock's unconscious side, feeling the gentle pulse of a heart beat in his wrist. David had pulled every living favor he could find trying to find medicine, supplies, everything they could get their hands on to help Brock. He wasn't exactly a vegetable, but he was one stroke away from it.

Brian felt tears singing his tired eyes again. Brian rubbed them with the back of his hand, taking a shaky breath. Brock was still not awake. Nine days. Nine days of unconsciousness. Nine days of feeding him through a needle in his arm. Nine days of sleepless nights praying for a miracle. The lights were all off in the room, the only glow coming from the monitors were Brock's vitals pulsed regularly on the screen.

"Brian…?"

He didn't have to turn around and know it was a sleepy Evan to standing in the doorway of the hospital room. Brian grunted, his eyes never leaving Brock's passive face.

Evan stood next to him, silent, watching Brock's chest rise and fall in time with the heartbeat monitor on his other side. They were both silent for a long time before Evan spoke.

"It's late."

"I know," Brian replied bluntly, his hand never loosening its grip on Brock's.

Evan was silent again. Brian knew what Evan was trying to do: he was trying to make him go to bed. Brian hadn't slept in nearly nine days, and it wasn't a secret anymore. After the first three, it started to become obvious, and he was banned from workouts and the gaming room until he slept at least eight hours.

"Brock won't wake up with—" he stopped, taking a breath as he backtracked fast. Wherever he was going, Brian felt sure it would have ended with him punching Evan in the face.

"Not gonna finish that?" Brian pried, turning slightly so he could see Evan's shoeless feet on the ground. He was looking for an excuse to fight. Ever since Alexa confessed she saw their friends massacred and said nothing, Brian had wanted to kill her. It was partially why she hadn't left her room the last few days, and why Brian spent all his time in the hospital. He didn't trust himself, and no one else trusted him.

"No," Evan replied with a slight sigh. Unless to argue with him, huh? Brian didn't blame him. It was useless. Brian wasn't going to move.

"It's two in the morning guys," Another voice joined them, and Jonathan collapsed over Evan's shoulders, tilting his head to kiss his boyfriends cheek before slumping over again with an exaggerated sigh. Evan ruffled his hair lovingly, before turning his attention back to Brock with a sigh.

"No signs of waking up?" Jonathan asked. Brian shook his head. He was numbed to the questions now; when Brock was first unconscious, Brian would of started bawling or throwing things, now he just shook his head solemnly.

Jonathan straightened up, leaning across the bed to check Brock's pulse and then moving around it to check his vitals on the monitor. Jonathan was in a hoodie and sweatpants, shoeless as well.

"Well, everything is stable. For an infection, it's taking it's sweet time—" Jonathan caught himself, glancing at Brian before looking away again with a blush. "Sorry."

Brian ignored him. As far as he was concerned, he and Alexa could go fuck themselves.

"Do you want anything? Food? Water?" Evan changed the subject, touching Brian's shoulder exuding nothing but sympathy and concern. It might Brian gag.

Brian shrugged off the arm, eyes never leaving Brock's closed ones.

"Don't."

Evan shrank back slightly at the bitterness in Brian's voice. Out of the corner of his eye, Brian saw Evan's face darken.

"I'm just trying to be helpful, Brian," Evan's voice was cool, but the warning was very prominent in his words.

"Then I'll say it again," Brian responded, turning to Evan. "Don't."

"Watch it, Brian," Jonathan warned hotly. Brian glanced at the slim man across the bed. He had a look like a guard dog, standing back and watching the altercation between the two men with a careful eye.

"Or what, Jonathan? You gonna call your little psychotic girlfriend?" Brian edged, smiling nastily at Jonathan's face it moved from horror to rage.

Evan's chair scraped back and Brian also stood as Jonathan marched around the bed. Evan caught Jonathan, holding his arm out to stop him from actually reaching Brian. Brian himself backed up slightly, reaching to the back of his jeans where he carried a Glock 26 hand gun.

"Don't you dare fucking say that about Alexa—EVER!" Jonathan hissed, glaring at both Brian and Evan. "You don't know what being a Renegade has done to her…"

"Oh, I'm sure I can imagine what it has done," Brian laughed. "She lost her personal life, she lost her innocence, she lost her morals, and she lost her sanity, right? Well guess what? I hadn't talked to Lanai in nearly a fucking year, and now she's dead. I've killed real people with real guns. I was laughing when I turned a mini gun on a fucking SWAT van. And to top it all off, I'm sitting here with my best friend who I've SLEPT WITH while I haven't slept in ten nights!" Brian took deep breaths, his eyes hazing red as glared at Evan and Jonathan.

"So you tell me one more time, because I don't think I understood: what is it about being a Renegade I don't understand? Because from where I'm standing, we're living the same fucking nightmare."

Silence hit the room. Evan glanced at Jonathan, a mixture of betrayal and concern in his eyes as Jonathan stood, glaring and huffing angrily at Brian. Brian moved his hand away from the back of his jeans, fully understanding what he just said. He was right, completely right. They were trapped in the same net as Alexa. None of them had a life to go back to outside of Renegades, none of them had friends or family—fuck most of them couldn't even go back to playing shooter games because it reminded them too much of their reality. Brian was living the sob story he had prayed never to have.

Brian sighed, but it caught in his throat. That was it. Brian fell to the floor with a sob, a painful sob that hit his chest, heart, and his physical body with such a slamming force he couldn't help but fall to the ground. Feet on the wooden floor boards padded quickly and both Evan and Jonathan were at his side, Evan lifting him up and Jonathan rubbing circles in his bad.

"I want this to be over," Brian sobbed, his head leaning against Evan's clothes chest rising and falling with steady breaths. Jonathan still rubbed Brian's back as the latter leaned against Evan, sobbing uncontrollably. It was a cry that echoed throughout the whole house, more like a ghost than anything human; wracked, heart wrenching, every english word to describe "loss" in the dictionary.

Brian was so lost he didn't notice anyone else walk slowly into the room until he felt another set of hands rubbing his own. Brian blinked back tears to see Craig with Tyler gently sitting on the floor. Craig was rubbing his left hand with both of his while Tyler took his right; they didn't look at him, just sat silently, understanding and comforting. Brian closed his eyes again with a sob, curling back against Evan. David and Lui came next, both sitting down with Jonathan just to be there, just to place a hand on him and let him know they were there for him. Brian's heart ached with the amount of affection and pain he felt, and it manifested in his ever-growing in size and pain sobs.

"Bri…" Craig's voice was smooth and warm while his hands traced gentle lines and circles on his. "Let it out man."

"We're all here for you," David's voice from behind him, his hand patting his shoulder gently before going still again.

"Brian…you're right," said Jonathan, sighing from behind him. "You're right. We are all living a nightmare. We've lived through pain, regret, fire, injuries, and horrors we never thought we'd have to live through sitting in our desk chairs behind a dual monitor.

"But we have to keep fighting. Fight for our lives, fight for one another, and fight for our freedom," Jonathan pleaded. Brian couldn't manage anything else except a violent nod of agreement between sobs and sniffs. The grip on Brian's hands tightened, and the three behind him leaned closer to him in a long hug. Warmth trying to take over the sinking cold rising in his stomach; maybe Brian could believe Brock would get better, maybe Brian could forgive Alexa, maybe everything would be okay.

They all sat like that for ages, or maybe only for a few minutes, Brian couldn't tell. All he knew was people went still around him when the last person in the house walked into the room.

"Brian?" Alexa's voice low and soft.

Brian didn't move. He didn't trust himself to look at her, speak to her, or think about her. He felt Evan turn around to look at the door, but no one else spoke. She wasn't moving, still paralyzed in the doorway. Good. Brian didn't want her showing fake pity for him, or anyone else.

"I…I heard a scream…"

"Everything is fine," Craig responded, shortly. It wasn't just Brian who didn't trust her now. As the days had gone by and Brock hadn't gotten better, more and more of the group began to trust her less and less. From being their best friend, she'd been demoted to nearly a distant housemate.

Alexa knew it, and her awkwardness was tangible as she stood above the group.

"That wasn't why I came down here…"

Brian blinked back tears, feeling Evan's chest tighten with anticipation. He glanced up, seeing Craig and Tyler leaning back on their arms and looking towards the door, both their faces were set with annoyance and curiosity. He still didn't look at Alexa.

"There's a way we can end Renegades, for good, maybe sooner than we think."

If Brian had ears like a animal, they would have perked up. His heart skipped a beat at the thought of it, and now he looked at her. Alexa was in her usual getup—tank top covered with a zip-up hoodie completed with baggy short shorts and fuzzy socks. In her hand, the only light in the dark room illuminating the side of her body, was a cellphone.

"The email I got…with all those videos…it had a protected address, yeah, but not protected enough. Our friend who sent us that shit was in an office building downtown, specifically…" Alexa turned the phone in her hand, walking towards the group of eight, and swiped a few times before turning the phone towards the group. The bright screen blinded Brian and second, but after blinking several times, the Google Map Earth image came into focus. It was a group of three towers with a courtyard and fountain in the center of the triangles. In big 3D letters off to the right of the fountain spelled out "Abra Towers." Brian's stomach twisted at the name as he flash backed to the night he, David, and Evan signed their lives away to Renegades.

"Abra Towers?" Lui asked from behind Brian. "So it's real? Abra Inc. is real?"

"No. Abra is still the brand they use to hide behind, but this is their head quarters…this is where the email was sent from," Alexa explained, her voice strained slightly. Brian glanced up from the phone as he recognized the tinge of desperation staining her voice.

Alexa made eye contact with him, but lowered her gaze and lowered her phone with it. She grasped a side of her arm, rubbing it awkwardly.

"This is risky, very risky, and the only way we can begin to achieve a heist in these three buildings is doing the next to impossible. This is a nightmare of a heist," Alexa took a breath, preparing to say her plan. Despite himself, Brian was hanging on every single word she uttered. He may be angry at her, but there was always someone—more like something—he was more furious with than her.

"It would be a simultaneous heist, but the groups will be odd. This time, three go to Abra towers, and three hold the tower's main floors up. The rest of us go to a meeting negotiating our "surrender" terms. We get all the information we can, then kill the representative for their card key. Then, we head to the towers."

Brian's gaze turned on the other boys surrounding him. They were all watching her carefully, but it was with an anticipation uncharacteristic of any of them. They were all done with the fighting and the killing, but the attractive possibility of escaping the program earlier than expected was way too exciting.

"So? What do you guys say?" Alexa asked, searching everyone's eyes.

Behind Brian, David sighed. "Lexa, splitting up again? That isn't just dangerous, but we nearly lost four men that day, including yourself," David raised his hand at a loss for what else to say. "Call me crazy, but I'm not so hyped about splitting up."

"I know, its crazy—beyond stupid—but we have to do this at the same time, otherwise one heist might find out about the other, and we loose our advantage over both."

"What do we know about the towers?" Lui asked.

"Next to nothing," replied Alexa. "I'm guessing heavy protection with Renegades or just hired thugs, maybe Halon in the server rooms. And we don't really have much of an option for recon, since they will recognize us before we step foot in the building."

"So we just go in blind? Risk our lives?" Tyler probed now, wrapping a protective arm around Craig's shoulders. Brian knew what he was thinking, he didn't want to risk loosing Craig. Not again, anyway.

"When haven't we?" She retorted, her voice edged with a tired and even defeated air. "There's always been the possibility of not coming back that night. That's whats made us successful. The stakes are higher than ever before, the risk of loosing someone is even higher.

"You guy's have every reason not to trust me right now…but I'm begging you," Alexa sighed, switching off her phone so the room was plunged into darkness again, the only light coming from the moonlight outside streaming through a partially curtained window. Brian could see it reflecting in her eyes as she starred into his. She needed his approval for this. Brian knew as well as she did they wouldn't be able to pull this off without him, especially since he was the most trained with explosives. To take down three towers, they would need a fuck ton of dynamite.

Brian looked up at the bed where Brock was still unconscious. His best friend, the love of his life, on the brink of death all because of a few bullets. It wasn't fair. Brock cannot be taken away from him, not without someone paying very dearly for the loss of an amazing man like him. And Brian was going to make someone pay.

"I'm in," Brian said, looking back at Alexa who starred, surprised.

"On one condition," Brian added, standing up and glaring at Alexa. The others sprang up around him too, ready to restrain him if he went to hit Alexa, but there was no need.

"I press the button. I'm the one who blows it all up. Me."

Alexa blinked, and nodded. "You'll have your finger on the trigger," Alexa promised.

Brian still didn't trust her, not enough to really forgive her for everything yet, but enough to make that deal. And he was going to hold her to deal, no matter what it took.


	9. Chapter 30 - Cat and Mouse

Lui was in the gym with Alexa. She was throwing punches by herself, watching her reflection in the mirror while Lui threw them into the punching bag. He was shirtless, sweat dripping down his toned and muscled chest and flicking from his hair as he swung hard every time in an even tempo. He had given up using the boxing gloves long ago, so was just punching with wrapped knuckles.

"Okay, so how about this one," Alexa began, giggling already. It was a stupid pass time—saying something you want to do when you're out of the program and why. It went back and forth, and was mostly petty things, like hit up an In n Out and actually sit in the restaurant. Another was travel outside of the country, like Italy, India, or Australia, some place neither of them had gone to. It was Alexa's turn now, and Lui was already smiling.

"What I wanna do when I get out of here…I wanna get a massage. Like, acupuncture kinda shit," Alexa giggled, swinging her fist in space.

Lui laughed. "That sounds like a torture device if you ask me."

"Yeah, and that's just it. If I'm not a Renegade, I wouldn't have to worry about getting attacked while I have a thousand needles in my back," Alexa reasoned, jumping up and down in place.

"Whatever. When I'm out, I'm NOT doing that with you," Lui shook his head as he kept punching. His fists were starting to get raw and bruised from the contact with the cracked leather, but it was a good kind of hurt.

"I'm more the kinda guy who would spend all day at a movie theater. Not go home, just keep eating and watching movies all day. We haven't gone to a movie in a year!" Lui cried, spinning himself around as he brought his legs kicking up and peppering the bag with kicks.

"Nice move, and nice idea," Alexa had stopped to watch his move, a hand on her hip as her chest rose and fell with short breaths. She was in a crop top, the bottom of a sports bra barely visible under the shirt with her classic baggy short shorts and Adidas she stole from their raid on the rival neighborhood Renegades.

Lui snickered, grabbing a water bottle and emptying half the contents into his mouth and over his head before throwing a towel around his neck. He started to unravel the bandages on his knuckles, dodging out of the way so Alexa could have a turn on the bag, and sat down on one of the lifting benches.

Alexa's hits were harder, and sounded like they could break bones. They made Lui flinch with every heavy smack.

"You trying to punch a hole in that thing?" Lui joked.

"I wanna punch through concrete," she replied flatly and , swinging another painful punch.

Lui shook his head with a sigh. The gym door creaked open, and David came in, dressed in black basketball shorts and a white shirt with matching black sneakers. The tall man faltered when he saw Lui, hair and body glistening from the mixture of sweat and water, before coming over to him and placing his stuff beside a bench next to Lui's.

"You lifting?" David asked, checking the weights on it before straddling the leather bench. Lui shook his head, taking another long drink from the water bottle, all the while eyeing David as he removed his plain white shirt. He lay down on the bench, gripping the cool metal, and lifted the bar off it's hinges and began to pump.

Lui couldn't take his eyes off the guy. Every muscle in David's body was rippling so invitingly. Lui's grip on the water bottled tightened.

Neither of them had spoken to each other since the three boys arrived home beaten and bruised. Lui had been the one who pushed him away. No one blamed him for the boys getting attacked, if anything they all blamed Alexa, but Lui felt he shared that blame. So he pushed David away, ashamed he'd fucked up so badly and nearly allowed their friends to die.

Lui sighed, bowing his head, before straightening up with a winning smile plastered across his face and he looked at Alexa's back.

"How about this?" Lui began. "When we're gone, I want to just walk around LA. Not necessarily DO anything, just walk around, unafraid."

"Oooo," Alexa laughed, steadying the punching bag and turning around to face Lui with a sly grin of satisfaction on her face. "I like that idea."

Lui nodded, grinning back at her, but noticed quickly where Alexa's eyes were: on David, right next to Lui, lifting weights, silently. He could read Alexa's thoughts cross her face, but before he could react, she was already walking out the room, tossing a casual "I call shower!" over her shoulder before disappearing outside.

Well, fuck.

David didn't seem to notice or care Alexa was gone; Lui, on the other hand, did. Alexa and his not-so-shared guilt was keeping him bound in silence and shame. Now, without her, Lui felt drawn to David by an urge so powerful he wasn't sure he could stop himself.

Now, David noticed—the fidgeting and sideways stare giving Lui away. David set the bar back on it's handles, still laying horizontally on the leather seat, but starring at him with his beautiful eyes.

"Everything okay, Lui?"

Fuck his voice was like butter to Lui. He shook his head, avoiding David's gaze.

There was a slight, sharp exhale of air that left David's nose as he understood what was going on in Lui's head.

"So…" David smirked, folding his arms across his chest. "You don't talk to me for a week, you avoid sleeping with me, and NOW you decide you want me?"

Luis growled. He hated David for that, but any anger he felt was taken over by lust for the taller man laying next to him. Even the shortest glance at him sent another shiver up his spin and through his body. It was powerful, an urge Lui couldn't control at all. And David knew it; it made enticing Lui even better.

"Well?" David pried, the smirk audible in his voice.

"David…" Lui warned. "You better shut up or—"

"Or what?" David cut him off. "You've already deprived me of my favorite snuggle toy, what else are you gonna do?"

Lui snapped. He spun on the leather bench and in one fluid motion straddled the Irishman laying down and pinning David underneath his own body. David grunted with the sudden weight, and went to push him off, but Lui pinned his arms to the leather bench underneath. Lui's chest heaved with labored breath, trying to control his rushing heart and overloaded senses as he breathed in David's scent and starred into those hardened eyes.

David blinked angrily, then smirked up at him. "You're trying SO hard, aren't you?"

Lui couldn't respond. Nothing but blood was rushing in his ears. David's smirk grew even darker as he lifted his hips and ground them out against Lui's, raising an eyebrow at the smaller man's restrained moan.

"Do you want me?" David asked, sweetly, pushing off Lui's arms with ease before sitting up and placing his hands on Lui's hips. His grinding hips were relentless. Lui bit his lip, but snarled a smile folding his arms.

"I'm just warning you to—to…fuck," Lui breathed the last word silently. His arms landed back down on either side of David's head as he let out a silent moan. It was too much, he was too much. Lui had to get away from him before he caved.

"To fuck?" David snickered. He was enjoying their little game of cat and mouse. Only the cat, David, was winning.

"Say it," David commanded, moving his arms to Lui's hips and pushing him down against his own groin. Lui felt David's boner pressing through the fabric of his shorts and against Lui's own. A moan escaped Lui's lips, shaky and hot, making David's smirk grow darker.

That was it.

Lui brought his lips crashing into David's, a mixture of heat and tongue and teeth so violent and lust filled it nearly hurt. When Lui pulled away, a long trail of saliva was attached between the two's lips and was only broken when Lui gasped "I want you."

David stood, lifting Lui up with him, David's hands hooked under the smaller man's thighs and walked him against the mirrored wall opposite, pressing him into it as he attacked the Lui's neck with kisses. Lui's fingers turned to claws, digging into David's back and dragging up it egging a moan from the man's throat and a warning nip on Lui's neck.

"What do you want me to do?" David murmured against Lui's skin, marking his sentence with another bite that made Lui whimper. He couldn't take it, this was too much. All the payback for not letting David touch him, talk to him, even NEAR him the last few days. David would take his own sweet time and drag this out the way he wanted it; a cat playing with his food.

"Fu—" Lui's words were cut off with a yelp as David's hips jolted upwards, making Lui bounce against David's groin and still annoyingly clothed penis. David snickered, licking a long trail of saliva up Lui's neck and pushing the smaller man up against the mirror even more so he could reach his chest.

"I—I want you to—to—fuck me!" Lui cried finally, his sentence a whimper as David traced circles around Lui's nipple. When the words left his lip, David looked up with a raised eyebrow. He dropped the man to the floor, his hands leaving Lui's skin and loosening his and Lui's shorts. All the while Lui trembled and kissed David's lips and neck.

"Now? Like this?" David asked a final question, spitting into his hand with a loop of saliva before reaching down to pump Lui's penis. Lui groaned, and fell against the back wall again, his eyes rolling back into his head.

"YES!" Lui screamed. That was all the permission needed.

David laid him down on the leather bench again, crawling on top of the smaller man peppering him with kisses as he worked his hole with saliva-drenched fingers, gently stretching him for his cock.

But David stopped, removing his fingers, and Lui opened his teary, lustful eyes. David was hovering over him, smiling with such a loving gaze Lui felt tears slipping from the corners of his eyes.

"I love you," David whispered.

Lui's lips parted slightly as the words sank in. Love. He loved him. And it wasn't a brotherly affection, no, this was real love. Love that hurt, love that bit and tore at the mind, love that despite all odds never went away. And David loved him with that much ardor and certainty that even after ten days of not speaking, he could still say it. This wasn't lust, this wasn't sex, this wasn't cat and mouse, this was the real deal.

So Lui swallowed the screams ready to burst forth from impatience and desire, and whispered hoarsely back "I love you too."

* * *

"You're out early," Tyler observed from his seat at the breakfast table as Alexa wandered in, eyeing the empty coffee machine angrily. "What happened? Lui beat you up?"

Craig laughed from his seat across from Tyler, as did the other three. Evan sat to Tyler's right with Jonathan on his right. Brian sat across from the two of them next to Craig. They had managed to get through a whole loaf of bread making toast before Alexa, face like thunder and glittering slightly from beads of sweat, stormed in.

Alexa rolled her eyes, her back to them as she searched the refrigerator. "Sorry, but sexual tension is NOT the best environment for exercise."

Tyler blinked. Her comment had caught him off guard entirely. He glanced at Evan, who had the same confused and slightly alarmed look.

"Sexual tension?" Evan pried.

"Yeah. David joined us to 'lift weights'. I had to get out of there before they lifted out the lube," Alexa rolled her head around her shoulder blades before pulling a loaf of bread and reaching up to one of the top shelves for butter.

The table roared with laughter, earning a glare over Alexa's shoulders as she growled "and just as I was working up a good sweat."

"I'm sure they'll be working up a good sweat now," Jonathan smirked into his coffee mug as he lifted it to his mouth. Alexa threw a slice of bread at him, making the table roar with laughter again as Jonathan was unable to dodge it. It hit the side of his face with a light slap, dropping into his lap where Evan removed it and threw it onto Jonathan's plate.

"We need to be training for this heist," she groaned, slumping into a chair at the head of the table as her toast cooked. "Not fucking each other."

"Maybe it's a good time to," Craig offered with a shrug. "I mean, you said it yourself. The chance of us ALL coming back from this mission is very small. If you're going to do it, do it now."

Tyler's throat tightened as he heard those words leave Craig's lips. Under the table, Craig's foot pressed down gently on Tyler's foot, rubbing in a hard, rhythmic motion. His eyes looked with Craig's and the small smile that appeared on Craig's lips as Tyler understood what he was thinking made the bigger man swallow thickly.

"Okay, no, I'm not getting kicked out of ANOTHER room for sex," Alexa folded her arms, glancing between the two. "We need to focus on maybe, I don't know, NOT DYING IN OUR NEXT HEIST?" She yelled. "And besides, could you pick a more inconvenient place to get it on right now?"

To punctuate her sentence, Tyler and the rest of the kitchen heard a moan echo down the hall from the gym. The group at the table all looked up and towards the kitchen door. The sound was distinctly Lui's voice, although what he was saying they couldn't make it. It didn't matter though, it was a sound many of them were familiar with: the sound of pleasure.

Next to Tyler, Evan shifted in his seat. Tyler glanced sideways at the two to see Jonathan's face drawn into a smug smile as he eyed Evan, the man's breathing growing short and strained. Underneath the table, Craig's foot pressed down harder on Tyler's as he noticed the interaction between the two as well.

Brian was trying his best to hold back a laugh as Alexa starred open mouthed and disgusted between the two couples.

"Sorry Lex," Jonathan's voice had Alexa's sugary innocence as he moved his attention to the female at the opposite end of the table. "But you're more than welcome to stay and watch…or join in."

"I'm out," Brian near shouted, jumping out of his chair and practically running out the door. Alexa was still sat in her chair, looking angrily flustered between the two pairs of boys and after Brian before scooping up her plate and cooked toast and dashing after Brian. From outside the kitchen, Tyler could hear Brian's laughter as Alexa swore at him for leaving her there.

And now, it was four.

Evan took a shaky breath, and his hand moved quickly to his crotch where Jonathan's hand had been for the last minute of the conversation. He extracted Jonathan's hand from Evan's underwear, and managed to claw a breath from the air before mumbling "I call kitchen."

"You can't call kitchen," Tyler growled back, getting up from his chair and stalking around the table towards Craig, who had curled up in his chair grinning manically at the larger man. "I call kitchen," Tyler grinned as he rubbed his hands down Craig's shoulders and chest then back up, triggering a sigh from the smaller man.

"When did you call kitchen?" Evan glared, squinting his eyes at Tyler as he pulled Jonathan onto his lap, the latter giggling innocently as he eyed Tyler and Craig with a smirk.

"I just did."

"Do you not see we're busy here?"

"Okay," Craig said, standing up with an evil grin. "I know how to decide this really easily," and with that Craig kicked his kitchen chair to one side and spun, grabbing Tyler's shoulders and jumping off the floor, wrapping his legs around Tyler's waist as he did. The sudden change in weight distribution made Tyler unsteady, and fell forward, Craig's back crashing into the table with a jolt that made the plates and mugs jolt, as well as Evan and Jonathan. Craig's lips crashed into Tyler's as well, and the sudden rush of contact and eagerness from Craig made Tyler giddy.

Craig tilted his head back, exposing his neck for Tyler to bit and lick while he looked at the other two. Tyler felt Craig's words vibrate against his lips as he asked them "you're more than welcome to stay and watch…or join in?"

Tyler didn't bother to look up at the sounds of scraping chairs and feet running out of the room, he knew they had won. Craig caught Tyler's lips, crying and moaning into them as the bigger man ground his growing erection into the smaller man on the table, before they both pulled back for a breath.

"Nice fucking job," Tyler breathed tenderly, starring down at Craig in awe.

"Fucking me is the only job you should be doing," Craig growled thickly, tightening his legs around Tyler's waist as he sat up and worked on the taller man's zipper. Tyler grinned at his dirty boyfriend before leaning into him again, planting kiss after loving kiss on his neck.


	10. Chapter 31 - Plan B

Alexa kicked a wheeling bed left unattended in the hospital room. "Why the fuck is it boner city up in this bitch right now?" She folded her arms, glaring at the door. She stood near the door while Brian sat on the other side of Brock, reclining in an arm chair he'd been using to sleep on, a bowl of Lucky Charms in his lap and his shoes kicked off.

"Sex won't change anything! If anything it will make this mission even harder because now everyone will be all love-y dove-y and shit! It won't change anything, honestly, so why bother now?"

"I don't know, maybe it's because we could all die?" Brian retorted wirily, his spoon clinking against his bowl as he dipped it in.

"So how is sex gonna fix that?" Alexa whirled on Brian. She was a little surprised at how fast he'd turned angry. Moments earlier they were running from the kitchen, him laughing at her, but now he glared with a coldness she hadn't seen since the night she found all the guys in the hospital room.

He raised an eyebrow, eyelids lowered and unimpressed with her. Alexa frowned, confused and a little annoyed.

"Because then you at least got to do it?" Brock offered, spitting his words across the hospital bed at her.

Alexa paused. She could feel the color rising in her cheeks as she understood and avoided Brian's harsh gaze. How could she of forgotten Brock? Brian blamed her for Brock being here, and her forgetfulness just made her look even worse. And then with Brock in his current state, maybe it was kind of understandable the others were so eager to do it.

"Sorry…" Alexa mumbled, running a hand through her hair again and rubbing the back of her neck as Brian turned his attention back to his cereal. An awkward silence fell between the two of them. Alexa didn't move, shuffling her feet a little awkwardly as she tried to regain her ability to speak.

"You guys never…"

"Not once."

Alexa bit her lip. She really did fuck up.

"It's not like I didn't want to," Brian continued, emotionless he starred absentmindedly at the unconscious man laying in the bed between them. "I wanted to, multiple times. But Brock and I have always been one step out of sync. Even before when we were just talking through computer screens and Skype, we were also just out of sync. We were never quite ready, never in the same place at the same time. I wasn't ready to tell him I liked him, he wasn't ready to have sex with me. It was just how we existed."

Brian sighed, looking down into his cereal. Alexa watched him closely, her eyebrows drawn together in pity and sadness, but also in a little bit of shame. She couldn't help but still blame herself for putting Brock in the hospital bed.

"Now, Brock is unconscious, and I'm still here. We're more out of sync than ever before. I regret never actual being able to have sex with him, but I think I regret it even more never actually telling him how much I loved him. Because if he dies, or if I die, then we will always be out of sync," with that Brian sighed. He leaned his head back against the recliner and was still for several long seconds.

"Closure…" Alexa breathed, her eyes trailing up to the sleeping man in the bed. Brock looked peaceful now, his vitals stable, a constant beep reminding them he was still alive.

"Yeah, closure. That's why we have guys screwing on the kitchen table," Brian's voice was bitter in tone as he stabbed into his cereal bowl again.

Alexa nodded slightly with understanding, but she was somewhere else. Alexa hated remembering anything before her attack; it was always just too painful. But what Brian was saying about closure, about being in sync, about love, it was impossible to avoid any of it.

"Jonathan and I never had closure," Alexa spoke softly, her more private than really speaking to Brian. But nevertheless, he looked up, confused.

"What?"

Alexa bowed her head. "Jonathan and I. We—we never had closure. I met him when I was young—REALLY young—like early teens shit. Just friends, allies in a battle we couldn't escape. Then he was my boyfriend, and we swore we would stay together forever, never letting the other go even after our final breath. It was bond deeper blood, and respect greater than enemies, and a love purer than a child's. Then he met Evan, and we became fuck buddies, a way for him to blow off steam and say another person's name in bed without feeling bad about it. Then I went to med-school, and we were brothers. Whatever love we had before burned away in the fire I started, and any possible way I could ever show him how much I cared for him and loved him was taken away on the operating table days later."

Silence. Nothing but the sound of Brock's vitals-tracker beeping in the background. Alexa shivered as she remembered the night of her attack, the days leading up to her admittance to the hospital, and then the last moments before she went under. She'd almost forgot Brian was listening until he spoke, making her jump.

"The operating table?"

Alexa's throat closed. She'd never told any of them that.

"Yeah," Alexa croaked hoarsely, then laughed bitterly. "Why else do you think you rarely ever have a period?"

"You're sterile?" Brian's voice was gentle, but the cautiousness in his tone made her own voice unsure and unstable as she stumbled over her response.

"Um—yeah…I am. It was—the attack—they—they were brutal," Alexa swallowed, blinking back tears as she tilted her head back and looked away, back towards the door, at the floor, anything to stop the flood of emotion she could feel coming.

The chair groaned as Brian put his cereal bowl down on Brock's bedside table. She avoided his eyes, feeling the pity seeping from them; if she looked, she would cry, and she had no right to cry in front of Brock.

"I'm…I'm sorry Alexa," Brian stammered, tripping over himself as he tried to make an apology that sounded genuine. Alexa didn't think he was trying to sound sorry, it was more like Brian was trying to apologize for real, not just in sympathy.

"You didn't do it," Alexa mumbled. "You didn't attack me, you didn't film it, you didn't sell me gasoline and a lighter, you didn't remove my ovaries. Nameless people did. People I'll never see again, but people who impacted my life so deeply; who ruined my impossible possibility of happiness." Alexa turned to look at Brian, eyes wide with shock as he starred back at her, Alexa, impossibly cold and fragile. She felt like an icicle melting from being left in the sun too long.

"You know what I would have done if I got out?"

Brian raised an eyebrow, waiting for Alexa to continue.

"I would have settled down with Jonathan. We would have started a family, moved out of LA, grown old and died together. That was all we really wanted in the end; a normal life far away from what we used to be.

"But that was always plan B. I was always plan B. Once Evan hit the stage, I became plan B. Backup. I guess he was always my backup too; we would never get out of Renegades, just the two of us," Alexa sighed again, remembering that forgotten promise of happiness with a sad bitterness. It had been a perfect little day dream she could share with her best friend, but now, Evan was there, kissing him and loving him instead of her, the way it should be.

"Now what?" Brian spoke up, making Alexa frown and glance at him. He raised an eyebrow, expressionless, and almost a little stone-like.

"If you got out before the attack, you'd have spent the rest of your life with him. Now, after the attack, after everything, what would you do? It's no fun living in the past, you of all people know that, so what happens now? Your plan A isn't going to happen, so think like the med-student you were training to be, and come up with your plan B."

Alexa blinked, a little surprised and stunned at Brian's emotionless and his command. Alexa didn't get a plan B. She had no family to fall back on, no friends she could go to, and no money to get out. The guy she'd planned to spend the rest of her life with was somewhere in the house, fucking the guy of his dreams while she was inside standing over a man she was responsible for putting in a coma and nearly killing. It wasn't fair she didn't get a plan B, but she was Alexa, the odd one out in their crew, the damaged little child who could kill every guy in the house yet somehow didn't. How did Brian not see that?

"You know what I would do if I get out of here?" Brian prompted. "Snorkeling, in the Bahamas. It's beautiful over there, and frankly, this pasty Irish skin of mine could do with a tan."

Alexa smiled, chuckling. "I was just playing this game with Lui."

"Yeah? Well play it with me. Come on," Brian prompted, smiling at her. "What's plan B?"

Alexa sighed. He didn't get it, probably none of them did. She was Alexa; she didn't get a second option, a back up plan. There was only a one way road leading straight ahead, no twists and turns. He only plan was plan A, and what plan A was, she still didn't know. But Alexa played along, forcing a grin on her face as she thought.

"Plan B…what I would do if I got out of here…I would go to Disney World. Be that little girl again and buy the Mini Mouse ears and eat cotton candy and scream on every ride," Alexa giggled with Brian, laughing at the thought of Alexa being a typical little girl like that.

"My plan B could be to go to Hawaii. I went once when I was younger, but this time I'd remember it all. Take surfing lessons, see the volcano, eat the local food, everything."

"My plan B could be to go back to med school. Finish what I started, learn how to save lives rather than take them."

"My plan B could be to work harder on my YouTube channel. I'd really push for five million, get even bigger than Vanoss-fucking-Gaming in there."

Their laughter fell away to silence as the two sighed, the previous awkwardness falling between them as Alexa mumbled "I'm sorry."

"I shouldn't have blamed you," Brian replied, his honesty taking her by slight surprise. "You should have told us, but you wanted us to keep hoping for a better future, a future we definitely had instead of being stuck in this forever."

Alexa nodded. He was right. She hadn't wanted to tell them, and she would have kept it a secret even now, but she blamed herself. She couldn't let them think everything they had worked for was hopeless. She had wanted them to have a future outside of Renegades, or at least believe they had a chance of a future, but now, she had doomed them.

Brian stood, stretching his arms out with a groan before picking up his cereal bowl and looking at her with a forgiving smile.

"You think they're done out there?"

Alexa bit her lip, putting another smile on her face. "You wanna walk out first?"

"Ladies first," Brian replied, shortly, snickering.

"You have one," Alexa nodded her hand down at Brian's pants as he rolled his eyes.

"You've—" Brian stopped himself quickly before finishing his joke, realizing just how insensitive it would sound. "I don't have a desire to see any of their's," he retorted after a pause.

"Not even Craig's?" Alexa raised an eyebrow, smirking slightly.

Brian rolled his eyes, making his way around the bedside and to the door, sneering at Alexa as he bumped her shoulder in passing, making her giggle, and went to the door.

Alexa didn't move, smiling down at the floor in thought. Brian had a plan B all figured out. It didn't matter if it was hopeless, all that mattered was that he had one. Maybe there was a chance, a chance for all of them to have a future. Believe hard enough and it comes true, right?

Alexa began to turn, heading towards the open door Brian had just left through, but stopped when she heard something move behind her. She froze, listening, hearing the shouts of Brian swearing up a storm at a group in the kitchen, but also to the vague rustle of bedsheets behind her.

Turning around quickly, Alexa's eyes widened as they met the dark brown eyes of another, open sleepily with a haze clouding them. They squinted shut again as their owner groaned, trying to push themselves up. Alexa darted forward, her hand on his shoulder and another on his stomach as she laid him gently back down with a hush. Brock, he was awake.

"Don't sit up. You're still incredibly weak," Alexa breathed, glancing up at his vitals. She couldn't believe this was real. Her heart was racing and the smile spreading across her face was a mixture of relief and joy as she looked between the computer monitor and the brown eyes still in bed.

Excitedly, she leaned over her shoulder, seeing the open hospital door.

"BRIAN! BRIAN GET IN HERE!"

Brock winced in pain, and she turned back, cooing a soft apology as she moved into the wardrobe to grab pain meds.

While her back was turned, the door burst open, and Brian flew through it, jumping onto the bed with a shout and nearly falling off the other side. He bundled the man in a tight embrace, peppering his forehead with kisses as he squeezed him tightly in his arms, shaking with laughter and tears. Brian's tears dripped down his cheeks and onto Brock's arms wrapping their way around his waist; Brock giggled, wincing slightly from a spasm of pain.

"Get off me you big goof, I'm alright," Brock's voice was groggy and rough, but it did nothing to stop Brian as he dove for the other's lips again, crying heavily into them. The others came barreling in now, all grinning as they took in the touching scene.

"I thought—" Brian choked, holding the other's face in his hands as he kissed him again and again. "I thought I lost you…"

"It's gonna take a lot more than a few bullets to get rid of me," Brock promised, giggling again as Brian place tender kiss after tender kiss on his lips before pushing his Irish boyfriend back slightly. "Besides, I haven't even taken you to bed yet."

Brian blushed a deep red only mad worse by the uproar of laughter from the other guys now in the room.

"Tell me you didn't hear that…" Brian mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Brock smirked the best he could, reaching a still wired hand up to his boyfriend's cheek and caressing it. "Which part? The part where you said you loved me, or the part where you said how badly you wanted to fuck me?"

Brian got even redder as the laughter continued. Alexa rolled her eyes, pushing past a few of the guys and gently nudging Brian off the bed so she could attach a new morphine bag to his wire. David joined her, check Brock's feeds before gently bumping Alexa's hip and flashing a congratulatory smile. They were thinking the same thing: she wasn't guilty anymore, she was off the hook. And perfect timing too.

"So," Evan smiled, sitting on the foot of Brock's bed now as Brian and David helped him up, the other's pilling around the end of the bed in an expectant silence. "Now that your alive again, wanna be let in on our suicide mission?"

Brock's eyes widened in alarm, glancing between Brian and Evan.

"You guys mean to tell me you were going to do a suicide mission without me?" Brock faked a hurt tone, hitting an open hand to his heart in mock betrayal as the rest of the group laughed.

Alexa grinned. It was good to have everyone back to normal, back to laughing and loving every minute together. Maybe the relief of Brock being back had done it, or maybe it was just the sexual relief; either way, it was good to feel the old dynamic back. Yet somehow, Alexa still felt like an observer, listening to Evan practically perform a whole speech about what they would be doing in the final, grand heist. Jonathan hung over Evan's shoulders the whole time, Tyler had an elbow prompted up on Jonathan with an arm wrapped tightly around Craig's waist. Lui was snuggled up next to David who had an arm wresting on the end bedpost of Brock's bed. And Brian never once let go of Brock's hand. Only Alexa stood alone, simply an observer. Only she didn't have a future, a plan B.


End file.
